Distorted Metamorphosis

by Lesley A. Camphouse

From the author of The Communion Ingest Me & Ingest Me, too, and The Apex Prey trilogy comes Distorted Metamorphosis.

Dr. Eleanor Rudence, addressed as just Nora by her male peers, is accepted into a penitentiary
institution to begin her research on the psychology of criminals who have assaulted minors. The facility is renowned for its wonderful work in rehabilitating inmates, or so they claim, and due to her own
history, Nora needs to get a deeper understanding of such individuals.

Nora is paired with Arthur, a witty and charming man, and she falls... hard, despite the reasons he is in there. She tumbles down a rabbit hole, one she won’t be able to claw her way out of...

This Extreme Horror. Consider this a warning for everything. 18+

Genres: Horror, Splatterpunk, Fiction

142 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 3, 2025

About the author

Lesley lives secluded in the Netherlands with her husband and five cats. She enjoys writing Extreme Horror, Splatterpunk, and Dark Romantasy.

Besides writing, she likes to read, and those exact categories are the ones she devours.

She's also a hoarder of trinkets and cool things and collects a lot of stuff, from oddities and curiosities to manga, comics, and figurines.

Reviews

[Peter Topside · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This was a well-constructed story with some good writing to keep it all supported. Nora, our lead, had a nice level of depth and her trauma, and subsequent, vile actions shone through. Some odd creative decisions for Sebastion and Arthur that didn’t necessarily connect for me. Like they were both presented as centerpieces, but then relegated to unimportant in various ways. Between the nefarious practices of the prison to Seb’s nauseating fetishes to Arthur and Nora’s budding relationship and her interview aspirations, this attempted to tackle a ton in a mere hundred pages. I think if the story was longer and things were given more time to blossom with the proper context, it would have really elevated the book to a higher level. There was also a bit of a slow burn approach with the extreme horror aspects, but it was definitely worth the wait. Some very, very ugly instances in the mid to latter portions of the story. A good showing from Lesley Camphouse.

[amerie ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

damn, all she needed was a quick visit to a psych ward

[Lia's Haunted Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disgusting. Deranged. Putrid. I loved it.

Read your trigger warning.

A female psychologist, whose own brother was a pedo, is sent to interview a convicted pedo predator. Instead of justice or closure, she spirals, obsesses, and transforms. She wants him. He doesn’t want her. So she changes (LITERALLY) for love.

We learn more about the pedo brother; how the family knew exactly what he was and protected him anyway. We see the aftermath of his crimes, how his sister tried to cope, and where he ended up.

I’ve never been more grateful to be an only child.

I was also very excited that the character was a psychologist AND researcher... and then the story happened. Good thing I'm not a forensic psychologist, lol!

[Ashley Hana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is psychological torture. The way it's written makes you want to side with Nora. But really? I totally agree testing on pedophiles instead of animals, too. So why the hell am I rooting for her and Arthur?
And then the plottwists just keep coming! They really had me shaking in my boots.
This is a filthy masterpiece and I feel gross for having enjoyed it.

[Janelle Schiecke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first read by Camphouse, and it really packed a punch! There were so many factors at play in this story, and I really enjoyed how this author had you siding with characters you knew you shouldn't. It's an interesting journey into the psyche and how distorted one's view can get based on lineage and power play.

Though it starts out with gore here and there, by the final act it's an all-out massacre. Hell of a story, and I look forward to reading more from Camphouse.

[meenasaur · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm genuinely not joking. finishing distorted
metamorphosis and immediately entered a
five-year celibacy. Court-ordered by my own
brain. WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK. It was so fucked up. I loved it.

[Evan]

Saw a tiktok about this book and decided to give it a read, but I cannot confidently give it any rating just yet.

I want to empathise and understand Nora and how losing her brother would cause her to seek out someone like him (albeit another pedo) so badly. She’s traumatised and was repeatedly forced to recite that her brother could do no wrong by her family, but it still makes my stomach churn. I guess that’s the point though, right?

Aside from a really interesting concept, there unfortunately wasn’t much else I enjoyed about this book, despite what people had been telling me.

The writing felt rushed, almost fanfiction-like and made me feel like I was reading a Wattpad story. That could be purposeful- for whatever reason- but it just wasn’t for me!!

All in all, not my favourite book. I can see why some people would enjoy it, but the experience was meh for me.

Rip Beth and Edward you didnt deserve your fates 💔💔

[GemieLou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lesley certainly knows how to pack a punch in her books and Distorted Metamorphosis is no different. This story follows Nora as she tries to get into the minds of pedophiles to learn what makes them do the things they do. Filled with gore and twisted characters, this book had me hooked as always

[Kody Pulido · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely vile
Left me staring at no where
Had me feeling nauseous, anxious, horrified, with chest tightness

If you want blood and gore
Read it

[Georgia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel sick - the maggots got me real bad

[Addie Cutler · Rating 1 out of 5]

At least if you’re making a splatterpunk book don’t write it like it’s a wattpad story. Gore doesn’t mean the writing of an illiterate teenage smh

[Becki 🤎 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Distorted metamorphosis

I was impatiently waiting for Lesley’s newest release the moment she put that teaser out. Of course I got stuck straight in!

So, Nora needs to make things right, after feeling the guilt for covering up her brothers abuse of her young neighbour (that eventually led to murder) she’s accepted into a rehabilitation prison under the pretence of research. She hopes to understand the minds of those who’ve assaulted minors & help change them in some kind of way.

She soon realises the “prison” is not all as it seems & secrets are hidden behind closed doors when she meets Arthur, an “inmate”. He’s a good looking, witty & charming predator that she finds herself rapidly lusting after! The only problem is, she’s clearly not the right age for him…soooo she tries to fix that 🫣

Eesh the body horror this character does to herself 🤯 I was squirming 😬 Nora clearly had serious delulu problems…alongside her messed up brother 😳 But The “prison” oh I can fully get behind!! (It gave me AHS the Asylum doctor vibes)

This was absolute carnage towards the end! Lesley has such a way of tackling taboo issues in her books. As uncomfortable as they can be, she manages to fully pull you in & you cannot look away for a single minute!

This one would make an amazing movie!! It was craaaazy!! Defo check your triggers before going into it 😨 Another 5 star read for me, I wouldn’t expect anything less from Lesley she’s just insanely good at what she does 👏🏼 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[A5hley Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is why Lesley is in my opinion the queen of splatterpunk!

Give her a taboo subject matter and watch her weave a story that has more twists than a rollercoaster I was hooked from the start the hideous brother the deranged family for harbouring secrets and the most messed up of all our female narrator Nora

This may be an unpopular opinion but let’s be honest everything that happens in this book can all be avoided if Nora spoke out instead she happily “changes” herself for the hopeful love of Arthur and in the end well we can’t go in to that but this is my favourite book I genuinely thought eternal wives would stay up there at least for a few months but this just goes to show that Lesley has solidified herself as a powerhouse in the extreme horror genre I want and need more

I was fortunate enough to beta read this book but my feelings are completely my own

[megb · Rating 4 out of 5]

if only u could have seen my face while reading this. i’ve said it before … body horror gives me the heebie jeebies yet here i am

sometimes shorter books sacrifice the storyline but for me this one worked well. slightly predictable but when you read a lot i feel like it’s hard to avoid that. if you want something short that packs a punch i say give it a go but … also ew

[Lorena Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

just wtf was that but damn

[｡°✩ Rasha ｡°✩ {Free Palestine} · Rating 3 out of 5]

{3.75}

Well...

[Tia :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

what the fuck did i just read

[kvro ★ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es mi primera vez leyendo este género y la verdad que ha sido una experiencia interesante. Creo que la gracia del libro, mas que en como se resuelven “los enigmas”, es la forma grotesca, muy gore y descriptiva de las mutilaciones y torturas. Realmente me pregunto en que
momento la autora se paró a redactar estas cosas.

Probablemente este libro sea lo mas asqueroso que he leído nunca.

[EziNne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written but also, how do you unread a book? Asking for myself.

[bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

what the fuck :)

[Fernanda]

I….my pearls are clutched. Only one other book has had me as disgusted as this one and that’s just horrific.

[Clara · Rating 1 out of 5]

kind of cool concept but what is this lmao thats what i get for trusting tiktok book recs ig

[Madison H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book in one sitting.This book is truly fucked up and that ending scene should probably have never made it on paper. With that being said, the imagery was great and I will definitely be picking up another book from this author.

[Kendra Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

My rating for extreme horror books is based on how much the book disturbs me and I think you can tell how it went due to my rating. I genuinely have no words for this book. It was truly disturbing and had my face in a permanent cringe the entire 100 pages.

The ending had my jaw dropped and I wasn't expecting it at all. I literally stared at my kindle when I finished thinking "what the f*ck did I just read".

If you love extreme horror, definitely check this book out as you will not be disappointed!

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disturbing as hell first book that has made me cringe in a while check your trigger warnings.

[alewicz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obrzydliwe ale dobrze napisane i wciągające.

[Belle Ziegler · Rating 4 out of 5]

save the animals, test on pedophiles!! this is probably my favorite splatter punk book i’ve read, it had just the right amount of depravity without feeling too cheap or rushed. i loved that our main character isn’t the hero and we have to listen to her try and justify all her wrong doings for it to ultimately backfire on her in the end. that last chapter was a bit brutal but i was anticipating it. my main take away from this story? kill your local pedophile!!

[chase lauren · Rating 1 out of 5]

first book of 2026… what a start.

an interesting concept overtaken by the horrors of splatter punk.

why do i keep trying to enjoy this genre?

[Lecia · Rating 3 out of 5]

not many things shock me, but that was…. Something!

I enjoyed the premise, a psychologist who wants to understand the psyche of those who prefer the adolescent to those their age, (pedophila) due to trauma in her past. The direction was there, and I honestly would have wanted more interviews with Nora and Arthur before having her become attracted to said criminal, it would have given us more to explore upon, believed so many things could have been driven further. But it is a short read so I won’t rip it too much, but the body horror was gruesome to tell you the truth, when maggots are mentioned I wretch, and that was unexpected. The narrative of how Nora humanized a person she knew deep down was not good could be in itself looked upon. What happens when you protect someone who has down the very thing you’re researching and yet the other one has not done it but enjoys the thought of it? Neither is right, there is no justifying here and yet this psychologist who has a warped sense of justice begins a chain of events she’d come to regret. The entirety of Nora’s own psyche is incomprehensible, you almost wish we’d interview her. It gets three stars because it did have a storyline that you cant help but continue to read. As someone who enjoys a twist and a wtf moment the last chapter is not for the life of me for the faint of the heart, like! I had to pause for a second to realize that this had been typed out. The last line of this story is haunting and disgusting!

I do not recommend this to anyone even those I know, but if you happen to come across it like I did (TikTok) please !!!!PLEASE!!! Read trigger warnings.

[aheuccrates · Rating 4 out of 5]

"His perverted behavior stems from the fact that he has no outlet. What if I, or another adult, could be that for him?"

First book I've read in 2026 and it was filthy, vile, and vulgar.

This book was a good warm up, since I haven't been reading books, because it was short but it definitely came with a price. The beginning part was really awesome and immediately hooked me, until the later parts of Chapter 9. It became kind of rushed which prevented me to get immersed again. Regardless, it's a good read since I'm warm with psychological and wtf stories.

“I’m a pedophile, because that’s who I am. Not because my dad beat the shit out of me, or because my mother neglected me. I was born this way.”

The way Nora internalizes what she thinks and feels about Sebastian and Arthur is intriguing, especially after she find out the truth about Grey Keep? She embodies the reality of the man on how some of us will have our judgement and morality be distorted once we humanize monsters. Also, how Nora developed for the worse as a character took its time neatly. That turning point was the final block on her downfall. Chapter 7 is so gruesome, man. Arthur is indeed very charming— a charming pedophile. His personality is very captivating, and I wished we learned more about his psyche and truth of his nature especially on how he's outspoken and accepting on what he is without rationalizing it due to his past. It's a conflicting and frightening experience on how the more I see Arthur as a "human being", the frequent I need to remind myself what kind this person really is. I feel disgusted on myself. And with Sebastian, fuck this motherfucker. He's a heinous monster.

Reflecting now, I can't help but ponder, does the "severity" of their pedophilia affects our judgement? Or was it the way they become humanized in our eyes the more we learn about them as a person?

Anyways, Chapter 12 gave me a nightmare-- that's how morbid it was. The last lines were sickening.

"Finally, she and I are one."