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Kali's Web
Kali's Web is a supernatural horror novel that delves into the darkest corners of addiction and the terrifying psychological effects it leaves behind.
Kaliana Cook, a heroin addict haunted by a traumatic past, is desperate to reunite with her child after being paroled. But what begins as a chance at freedom soon turns into a horrific nightmare. After making a daring escape, Kali finds herself trapped in a sinister web, pursued not only by a relentless parole agent but also by a monstrous presence she unwittingly unleashed.
This eerie entity, a grotesque fusion of nightmare spiders and a seemingly innocent child, embodies the horrors of addiction and the twisted distortions of the mind plagued by heroin. As Kali’s journey unravels, she discovers that escape isn’t just about outrunning physical pursuers. It’s about confronting the haunting specters of her past and the supernatural horrors they manifest.
Kali’s Web is a gripping supernatural thriller with an unsettling blend of psychological horror, bizarre creatures, and the raw desperation of addiction. Fans of Cronenbergian horror, surreal suspense, and folk horror will find themselves immersed in this twisted, nightmarish journey.
Will Kali escape the grip of the terrifying web she’s tangled in, or will the darkness consume her?
Proudly represented by Torrid Waters, a division of Crystal Lake Publishing—Where Stories Come Alive!
Kaliana Cook, a heroin addict haunted by a traumatic past, is desperate to reunite with her child after being paroled. But what begins as a chance at freedom soon turns into a horrific nightmare. After making a daring escape, Kali finds herself trapped in a sinister web, pursued not only by a relentless parole agent but also by a monstrous presence she unwittingly unleashed.
This eerie entity, a grotesque fusion of nightmare spiders and a seemingly innocent child, embodies the horrors of addiction and the twisted distortions of the mind plagued by heroin. As Kali’s journey unravels, she discovers that escape isn’t just about outrunning physical pursuers. It’s about confronting the haunting specters of her past and the supernatural horrors they manifest.
Kali’s Web is a gripping supernatural thriller with an unsettling blend of psychological horror, bizarre creatures, and the raw desperation of addiction. Fans of Cronenbergian horror, surreal suspense, and folk horror will find themselves immersed in this twisted, nightmarish journey.
Will Kali escape the grip of the terrifying web she’s tangled in, or will the darkness consume her?
Proudly represented by Torrid Waters, a division of Crystal Lake Publishing—Where Stories Come Alive!
- GenresHorror
114 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 15, 2025
4 people are currently reading
3353 people want to read
About the author
Mark Matthews
25 books416 followersMark Matthews is a graduate of the University of Michigan and a licensed professional counselor who has worked in behavioral health for over 20 years. He is the author of On the Lips of Children, All Smoke Rises, Milk-Blood, and The Hobgoblin of Little Minds. He is also the editor of a trio of 'addiction horror' anthologies including Orphans of Bliss, Lullabies for Suffering and Garden of Fiends. In 2021, he was nominated for a Shirley Jackson Award. His next novel, To Those Willing to Drown, is expected in May, 2025, followed by the novella, Kali's Web, in August, 2025.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 18, 2025
This is an intense, deep dark story about love, addiction, and abuse that also incorporates a supernatural element that is chilling. It’s fast paced, I read in one go. In a short amount of time Matthew’s develops the main character, Kaliana Cook who has lead a terrible life surrounded by heroin abuse and death. The story does a fantastic job of blending the real life horrors of addiction with the supernatural horrors of the genre. Highly recommend, five stars.
August 6, 2025
Kali’s Web by Mark Matthews
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is an amazing and intense supernatural/psychological horror novella.
I love the originality of this story and how it’s all woven together. The writing and storytelling are excellent!
This story is deep and dark and focuses on love, addiction, supernatural entities and abuse.
Kali Cook has been fighting lots of personal demons since she was a little girl, with a family history of addition taking its hold on her too. The negative parts of life finally caught up with her and she winds up in jail. She was trying to fix up her life when this happened, so her goal is to get released and make it back for her niece. When she is released, her parole officer isn’t her biggest fan and lots of pretty wild surprises, horrors and twists go on with both of them.
🩸💉🕷️🕸️🕸️🕸️🕷️🕸️🕸️🕸️🕷️💉🩸
This book comes out August 15th and is a must read!! Don’t miss out on this!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is an amazing and intense supernatural/psychological horror novella.
I love the originality of this story and how it’s all woven together. The writing and storytelling are excellent!
This story is deep and dark and focuses on love, addiction, supernatural entities and abuse.
Kali Cook has been fighting lots of personal demons since she was a little girl, with a family history of addition taking its hold on her too. The negative parts of life finally caught up with her and she winds up in jail. She was trying to fix up her life when this happened, so her goal is to get released and make it back for her niece. When she is released, her parole officer isn’t her biggest fan and lots of pretty wild surprises, horrors and twists go on with both of them.
🩸💉🕷️🕸️🕸️🕸️🕷️🕸️🕸️🕸️🕷️💉🩸
This book comes out August 15th and is a must read!! Don’t miss out on this!
July 19, 2025
Author of this work stepping in to say:
KALI’S WEB: It’s All True, Even If It Never Happened
I’ve been in recovery from addiction for over 30 years, and I tapped into that lived experience when I wrote KALI’S WEB. To write many of the scenes, I tapped into the ever-present craving to get high that still persists in my gut. I’ve learned to live with these cravings and keep the monster caged. However, when I write about addiction, I take my baton and rattle the cages to excite the beast inside.
I’ve written about addiction in much of my works, and rather than risk setting the beast free, I think it makes me honor the beast. To know it is still there, still hungry and craving, and wants more. Therefore, always keep the beast caged.
Kalianna Cook is a heroin addict, desperate to get back to a loved one she lost, and to do so, she must fight both internal and external monsters. The one inside her heart is a craving for heroin, and Horror is the perfect avenue to highlight the experience of having a monster living inside you.
I share that with the character Kalianna Cook, and I also share part of her chronic nightmares. I had them as a child, and I use them for the novella. My nightmares, like hers, always started with me laying in my bed, and a dark mist comes in from under the crack in the door and fills up the room. It
grew darker and thicker, billowing over me as I lay powerless, and then, like the title sequence is over, the nightmare starts. The content of the nightmare varies, but it always started the same way, with a smokey presence filling the room. At times, I was aware I was asleep and a nightmare was coming, but powerless to stop it, unable to wake myself up.
Best way to tell the truth is to make up a story, and though this novella is bizarre and supernatural, all of it is true (even if it never happened.)
KALI’S WEB: It’s All True, Even If It Never Happened
I’ve been in recovery from addiction for over 30 years, and I tapped into that lived experience when I wrote KALI’S WEB. To write many of the scenes, I tapped into the ever-present craving to get high that still persists in my gut. I’ve learned to live with these cravings and keep the monster caged. However, when I write about addiction, I take my baton and rattle the cages to excite the beast inside.
I’ve written about addiction in much of my works, and rather than risk setting the beast free, I think it makes me honor the beast. To know it is still there, still hungry and craving, and wants more. Therefore, always keep the beast caged.
Kalianna Cook is a heroin addict, desperate to get back to a loved one she lost, and to do so, she must fight both internal and external monsters. The one inside her heart is a craving for heroin, and Horror is the perfect avenue to highlight the experience of having a monster living inside you.
I share that with the character Kalianna Cook, and I also share part of her chronic nightmares. I had them as a child, and I use them for the novella. My nightmares, like hers, always started with me laying in my bed, and a dark mist comes in from under the crack in the door and fills up the room. It
grew darker and thicker, billowing over me as I lay powerless, and then, like the title sequence is over, the nightmare starts. The content of the nightmare varies, but it always started the same way, with a smokey presence filling the room. At times, I was aware I was asleep and a nightmare was coming, but powerless to stop it, unable to wake myself up.
Best way to tell the truth is to make up a story, and though this novella is bizarre and supernatural, all of it is true (even if it never happened.)
August 14, 2025
Kali's web is a dark blend of supernatural and psychological horror with the heavy theme of drug addiction to create a unique mix that is often surreal but always entertaining.
Interestingly, the book uses Les Mis for inspiration but twists the story in ways to suit the drug addiction theme and Kali's story as she seeks to make amends for her past indiscretions. Kali is on parole and is seeking to find her sister's daughter who she raised after her sister OD's from drugs. To do so, she has to battle nightmares, her constant pull towards drugs and a parole officer who has his own motivations to make sure his charges don't stray and end up back in jail.
The characters aren't the most likeable but Kali herself is multi-layered. She is battling her past whilst also trying to focus on the future and another addiction, one of love for her sister's daughter. It's a hard thing to do to get in depth with the characters in a novella of just over 100 pages but it's a credit to the author that he manages to do so here.
Its a fast paced story that rarely lets up. It's heavy and emotionally charged and harrowing at times but it's a great read overall. A definite recommendation for those looking for drug addiction/psychological themes in their horror.
Interestingly, the book uses Les Mis for inspiration but twists the story in ways to suit the drug addiction theme and Kali's story as she seeks to make amends for her past indiscretions. Kali is on parole and is seeking to find her sister's daughter who she raised after her sister OD's from drugs. To do so, she has to battle nightmares, her constant pull towards drugs and a parole officer who has his own motivations to make sure his charges don't stray and end up back in jail.
The characters aren't the most likeable but Kali herself is multi-layered. She is battling her past whilst also trying to focus on the future and another addiction, one of love for her sister's daughter. It's a hard thing to do to get in depth with the characters in a novella of just over 100 pages but it's a credit to the author that he manages to do so here.
Its a fast paced story that rarely lets up. It's heavy and emotionally charged and harrowing at times but it's a great read overall. A definite recommendation for those looking for drug addiction/psychological themes in their horror.
August 12, 2025
Matthews's latest tackles addiction in surreal ways, with the hunger to get high giving rise to abstract monsters and metaphorical, dream-like imagery involving smoke and spiders, and one particular oddity that it would be a crime to discuss here. Inspired by Les Misérables, this is a story of obsession and cravings that can never be satisfied or even truly conquered. Kali's Web resolves in a way that's maybe a bit too tidy given all that came before, but Matthews's imagination and lived experiences that bleed onto the page more than make up for it because, ultimately, it's all about the journey, not the destination.
August 11, 2025
Thank you to the author for providing a review copy.
Les Misérables is one of my absolute favorite stories, so the premise of Kali's Web hooked me right away. This is Les Mis as horror, against the backdrop of addiction and something else truly wild. I don't want to say too much, but it was truly a unique reading experience. Addiction is handled well, as well as sympathetically, and the metaphors are definitely present, but never heavy handed. 5 stars
Les Misérables is one of my absolute favorite stories, so the premise of Kali's Web hooked me right away. This is Les Mis as horror, against the backdrop of addiction and something else truly wild. I don't want to say too much, but it was truly a unique reading experience. Addiction is handled well, as well as sympathetically, and the metaphors are definitely present, but never heavy handed. 5 stars
July 30, 2025
I haven’t been great at keeping up with review copies, but I jumped at the chance to read this novella by Mark Matthews. This is a quick read and it packs a punch. With shorter fiction, there’s not much time for a slow burn or for character-building. It takes some skill to write a short story or novella that grabs the reader’s attention and creates an investment in the characters. Matthews has never failed to deliver a strong story with limited pages, and this is no exception. There’s a time when a slow burn is great, but this is not that instance. I loved that it grabbed my attention from the first page and never let up. Kali is a character that’s easy to care for and empathize with, even if you’ve never experienced addiction yourself. There are characters that are unlikeable at the start who I felt for by the end because the author gives enough insight into their history to create empathy in the reader. Overall a heavy but enjoyable read, with great character development, pacing, and storyline. Thanks to Crystal Lake Publishing for sending me an ePub for review!
August 4, 2025
What do you get when you have an addict, a tough as nails parole officer and a young girl with an unusual affliction all thrown together? You get one heck of a story all weaved together. My heart hurt for Kali. She had a horrible childhood so it’s no wonder she grew up and became an addict but she stopped and tried to make a better life for her niece. Was it too late? Were her choices wrong? Can she fix it? Can all be forgiven if she makes a few right choices?
August 16, 2025
"Kali's Web" is an atypically plotted novella, told through two rival points of few, with the lives of a couple of little girls at stake in the middle, and a huge supernatural twist dominating the background. It's essentially The Fugitive meets the cruelest and most humorless version of Trainspotting, with a striking portrayal of addiction, motherhood, and the basic human need for justice.
The two rival perspectives are those of a reformed addict and her parole officer; the two little girls are the former's niece and the latter's child out of wedlock; and the supernatural plot-twist bursts onto the page exactly when you think you've grasped where the story's going - a moment afterwards, you realize you had no idea what had been driving the story forward all along, and how much information you were in fact missing.
Once the unexpected story turn materializes, the story goes from an introspective, intricate chronicle of the main characters' past story of abuse, neglect and isolation, to a fast-paced and intense narrative full of action, violence, and life-changing moments for all the people involved. On the one hand, there's a traumatized man consumed by rage and obsessed with justice; on the other, an aunt obsessed with motherhood and the extraordinary cost of self-reliance and independence. Matthews draws both characters with great subtlety and a keen eye for detail. The resolution of the story felt fresh, challenging, perhaps a tad too neat as an ending relative to the darkness that's gone before, but surely a fitting conclusion to this contest of wills and minds.
I wish I could say more about the supernatural elements of the story; their originality, however, precludes any detailed description if I'm to avoid spoilers. Anyone who enjoys horror with heart, emotional depth and multi-layered human drama, should pick this up immediately. Highly, very highly recommended!
The two rival perspectives are those of a reformed addict and her parole officer; the two little girls are the former's niece and the latter's child out of wedlock; and the supernatural plot-twist bursts onto the page exactly when you think you've grasped where the story's going - a moment afterwards, you realize you had no idea what had been driving the story forward all along, and how much information you were in fact missing.
Once the unexpected story turn materializes, the story goes from an introspective, intricate chronicle of the main characters' past story of abuse, neglect and isolation, to a fast-paced and intense narrative full of action, violence, and life-changing moments for all the people involved. On the one hand, there's a traumatized man consumed by rage and obsessed with justice; on the other, an aunt obsessed with motherhood and the extraordinary cost of self-reliance and independence. Matthews draws both characters with great subtlety and a keen eye for detail. The resolution of the story felt fresh, challenging, perhaps a tad too neat as an ending relative to the darkness that's gone before, but surely a fitting conclusion to this contest of wills and minds.
I wish I could say more about the supernatural elements of the story; their originality, however, precludes any detailed description if I'm to avoid spoilers. Anyone who enjoys horror with heart, emotional depth and multi-layered human drama, should pick this up immediately. Highly, very highly recommended!
August 24, 2025
Overall, this was a highly enjoyable and effective story. The main storyline offers a fascinating main character to follow, as the series of interactions we get, offering a look at why she succumbed to drug use in the way she did, is quite harrowing. Given the tragic background of her family life, trying to catch up to her sister while their mother did whatever she needed for her next fix to the detriment of her daughters, it is little surprise that her turning to a lifetime of drug use would occur. This is granted the enhanced viewpoint of how her life spirals afterward while trying to deal with the situation she has found herself in, as the desire to keep convincing herself she’s a decent human being persists years later. This not only starts on a heavy note but also helps to make her quite sympathetic as a fast-paced, energetic story keeps things moving along.
That leads incredibly well with the arrival of the dark entity that comes into the picture. The starting point, being connected to the attempts at bettering herself and the idea of getting clean from everything, is handled rather nicely, with everything in conjunction with the rest of the human storyline happening. As we’re also involved in the rest of the interactions with the agent looking into what’s going on in her life at the same time as the supernatural entity coming after her in her dreams, this mix of storylines creates a fun parallel to a quite famous literary story about the constant need for justice against the downtrodden who are being haunted for their own mistakes. This leads to some stellar encounters throughout here that are quite harrowing and chilling, working well with the atmospheric build-up of her situation to overcome the one lone flaw, where the intensity of the subject might be a bit too deep for some to stomach, with how it goes into that lifestyle.
4.5/5
That leads incredibly well with the arrival of the dark entity that comes into the picture. The starting point, being connected to the attempts at bettering herself and the idea of getting clean from everything, is handled rather nicely, with everything in conjunction with the rest of the human storyline happening. As we’re also involved in the rest of the interactions with the agent looking into what’s going on in her life at the same time as the supernatural entity coming after her in her dreams, this mix of storylines creates a fun parallel to a quite famous literary story about the constant need for justice against the downtrodden who are being haunted for their own mistakes. This leads to some stellar encounters throughout here that are quite harrowing and chilling, working well with the atmospheric build-up of her situation to overcome the one lone flaw, where the intensity of the subject might be a bit too deep for some to stomach, with how it goes into that lifestyle.
4.5/5
August 17, 2025
Kali's Web drags you through the life of addiction and loss. Trauma causes two sisters to follow in the footsteps of their mother. What happens afterward is a sad story of hope and triumph. Will Kali do what's right?
August 31, 2025
Shirley Jackson Award nominee Mark Matthews has delved deeply into the dreadful darkness of addiction, to bring 'Kali's Web' into the light.
Brutal, unflinching and honest, this is horror in its most real sense - it lays bare the devastating consequences waiting for those who become ensnared in the web of addiction. But it is so much more than a 'cautionary tale', as in many ways, it isn't that, at all.
I'll briefly explain why I was so impressed with the honesty of this story. I've had my own taste of what it's like to be possessed by 'substances', drugs of various kinds including alcohol. Hungry monsters, and when they take over, the only reason left to exist is to feed them. I managed to escape. I've also shared other people's struggles, whilst working with an alcohol and drugs support unit, so maybe that's why the truth within this story felt so real to me - and it really is truthful.
If you've never felt the grip of an addiction of any kind, to any substance or to any psychological condition, I'm very glad for you. If you have? You'll recognise just how real this amazing story is, in the honest portrayal of an addicts experiences. It's a dark story, as only such a tale can be. It's unflinching and brutally honest, but whatever else it is, 'Kali's Web' ultimately shines the light of courage and love into the depth of despair.
The struggle to overcome injustice, to escape the pursuit of a relentless fiend (also in the grip of a different, yet still destructive addiction) is a worthy homage to the source of Mark Matthews' inspiration - Les Miserable. As Victor Hugo said: "If the soul is left in darkness, sins will be committed. The guilty one is not he who commits the sin, but he who creates the darkness. "
'Kali's Web ' transposes the starving desperation of the poor in Les Miserable, with the terrible driven desperation of the addict. The risks taken, and sacrifices made to survive, are just as relevant and just as heartbreakingly human.
Those who have the inability to sympathise with an addict, perhaps feeling that theirs is a life where too many bad decisions were made, or there's moral judgement lacking, may (thankfully) have never experienced the way in which addiction can come into anyone's life. In mine, it was through a crippling accident, after which I found my life being sucked into a pit of prescription drug addiction. And alcohol. The monkey on your back the size of King Kong doesn't always arrive as a result of doing something illegal. "There go I, but for the grace of..." whatever deity you want to insert as a tool of 'fate' is up to you. I will simply acknowledge - shit happens.
'Kali's Web' is a human story in the best way, and brings compassion and love to weave the strongest web of all. Be in no doubt, however, there are many dark threads to this web... because underlying everything, there is a cosmic horror, a malevolent creature feeding from the souls of the innocent, and ensnaring them in a web of torment. In a world hungry to eat even the strongest alive, who can hope to escape this spider? Only the bonds of family might be stronger than the web of addiction...
To discover this, and so much more, I absolutely recommend you unravel the sinister 'Kali's Web' for yourself! Another 5* masterpiece from the Torrid Waters imprint of Crystal Lake Publishing, and the Shirley Jackson nominated author, Mark Matthews. If there's an abiding message I'll take from 'Kali's Web', it's this line... "There's always love for us if we just look for it." xXx
Brutal, unflinching and honest, this is horror in its most real sense - it lays bare the devastating consequences waiting for those who become ensnared in the web of addiction. But it is so much more than a 'cautionary tale', as in many ways, it isn't that, at all.
I'll briefly explain why I was so impressed with the honesty of this story. I've had my own taste of what it's like to be possessed by 'substances', drugs of various kinds including alcohol. Hungry monsters, and when they take over, the only reason left to exist is to feed them. I managed to escape. I've also shared other people's struggles, whilst working with an alcohol and drugs support unit, so maybe that's why the truth within this story felt so real to me - and it really is truthful.
If you've never felt the grip of an addiction of any kind, to any substance or to any psychological condition, I'm very glad for you. If you have? You'll recognise just how real this amazing story is, in the honest portrayal of an addicts experiences. It's a dark story, as only such a tale can be. It's unflinching and brutally honest, but whatever else it is, 'Kali's Web' ultimately shines the light of courage and love into the depth of despair.
The struggle to overcome injustice, to escape the pursuit of a relentless fiend (also in the grip of a different, yet still destructive addiction) is a worthy homage to the source of Mark Matthews' inspiration - Les Miserable. As Victor Hugo said: "If the soul is left in darkness, sins will be committed. The guilty one is not he who commits the sin, but he who creates the darkness. "
'Kali's Web ' transposes the starving desperation of the poor in Les Miserable, with the terrible driven desperation of the addict. The risks taken, and sacrifices made to survive, are just as relevant and just as heartbreakingly human.
Those who have the inability to sympathise with an addict, perhaps feeling that theirs is a life where too many bad decisions were made, or there's moral judgement lacking, may (thankfully) have never experienced the way in which addiction can come into anyone's life. In mine, it was through a crippling accident, after which I found my life being sucked into a pit of prescription drug addiction. And alcohol. The monkey on your back the size of King Kong doesn't always arrive as a result of doing something illegal. "There go I, but for the grace of..." whatever deity you want to insert as a tool of 'fate' is up to you. I will simply acknowledge - shit happens.
'Kali's Web' is a human story in the best way, and brings compassion and love to weave the strongest web of all. Be in no doubt, however, there are many dark threads to this web... because underlying everything, there is a cosmic horror, a malevolent creature feeding from the souls of the innocent, and ensnaring them in a web of torment. In a world hungry to eat even the strongest alive, who can hope to escape this spider? Only the bonds of family might be stronger than the web of addiction...
To discover this, and so much more, I absolutely recommend you unravel the sinister 'Kali's Web' for yourself! Another 5* masterpiece from the Torrid Waters imprint of Crystal Lake Publishing, and the Shirley Jackson nominated author, Mark Matthews. If there's an abiding message I'll take from 'Kali's Web', it's this line... "There's always love for us if we just look for it." xXx
August 13, 2025
Kali's Web is a supernatural/psychological horror where addiction is the catalyst.
Kali's life has always been on the rough side, leading her down the path of drugs and addiction. She only has one reason to try to stop, change and become a better person, and that reason is her niece. After doing time and being released, Kali is on a mission to find her niece, but the monsters she battles will not let up!
The story is a little intense and heavy, but it definitely packs a little bit of a punch there in the end. I love'd Kali's character. It's easy to empathize with her situation since we can see both her internal and external demons and what battles she's facing. But a stranger on the outside looking in would think that she's just crazy. I also like the little mix of the parole officer in there. He brought an extra thrill to the story that I really enjoyed. The pacing of the story is great and the writing is easy to follow.
Kali's life has always been on the rough side, leading her down the path of drugs and addiction. She only has one reason to try to stop, change and become a better person, and that reason is her niece. After doing time and being released, Kali is on a mission to find her niece, but the monsters she battles will not let up!
The story is a little intense and heavy, but it definitely packs a little bit of a punch there in the end. I love'd Kali's character. It's easy to empathize with her situation since we can see both her internal and external demons and what battles she's facing. But a stranger on the outside looking in would think that she's just crazy. I also like the little mix of the parole officer in there. He brought an extra thrill to the story that I really enjoyed. The pacing of the story is great and the writing is easy to follow.
September 25, 2025
WHAT DID I JUST READ?
the allusions to Les Misérables make the plot of Les Misérables seem less Misérables and more the Miserable. I see the connections but didn't feel the characters were properly fleshed out to carry the water.
from a story standpoint, the story makes no sense. the first half was alright and at least made sense, mostly , the smoke monster thing seemed random , the molestation also seemed thrown in, maybe to justify the actions on the lake?but after the plot gets going , it all just seemed scattered. which made me more confused than intrigued
the allusions to Les Misérables make the plot of Les Misérables seem less Misérables and more the Miserable. I see the connections but didn't feel the characters were properly fleshed out to carry the water.
from a story standpoint, the story makes no sense. the first half was alright and at least made sense, mostly , the smoke monster thing seemed random , the molestation also seemed thrown in, maybe to justify the actions on the lake?but after the plot gets going , it all just seemed scattered. which made me more confused than intrigued
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2025
Kalianne, her sister dead from an overdose, Joshua the father in custody of her daughter Nikki, a probation officer and the daughter he has with a junkie that killed herself... well those are the ingredients of a pretty stoned story. Things get weird when Kali is kidnapping the officer's daughter and finds out that she's a monster actually. Well, very literary, pretty weird and over the top, terrifying at parts but too much weed inside for my taste here. Interesting modern horror but definitely not for everyone. Maybe your next trip...
August 7, 2025
If you're looking for a great supernatural and psychological story, then this is the one. When Kali is in addictions embrace, she can't control herself and after being in jail, the throes of addiction become even worse. Her dreams are fueled by this need and desire for more. The twists and horror she endures related to the addiction is spot on. Great quick read with a punch!
August 20, 2025
Fascinating, horrific and thrillingly unsettling.
December 1, 2025
Wow!
Such an intense read. It focuses on the horrors overcoming addiction and the justice. There is a lot of truth in every part of this. Tremendously well-done.
Such an intense read. It focuses on the horrors overcoming addiction and the justice. There is a lot of truth in every part of this. Tremendously well-done.
December 13, 2025
Psychoanalysts everywhere would be having a field day with the Spektors.
August 15, 2025
A newly reformed addict. An obsessed parole officer. A special young girl with a secret. Spin them up together and you have Kali's Web, the fantastic new release from Mark Matthews!
Kaliana is a young woman who has been through it. A tragic result of the cycle of addiction and the price that families pay. Kali has worked to master her addiction and has paid her dues to the justice system. She's looking forward to freedom, but then she meets her parole officer-who himself is the tragic result of abuse in the foster family system. What this meeting really is is lifechanging for both of them.
That's all I'm going to say about the plot, other than its themes which are addiction, generational addiction, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, rehabilitation, breaking cycles and ultimately hope? That's how I'm choosing to see it, anyway.
But this is all blended together with a violent supernatural aspect that I can't get into without spoilers. Anyone that has read Mark's work in the past will know how imaginative and creative he can be when it comes to bringing home the powers of addiction, obsession, loneliness and love. I think back to some of the creatures he's written about and how they compare to the one in this novella and I've just concluded that they're all extraordinary and that's all there is to say.
Once again, I've been blown away by this author's work. It just keeps getting better and more imaginative and I don't know how that's possible. I'm glad that there are publishers out there giving authors like this a place to showcase their talents. Otherwise we might be missing out on incredible stories like this one.
Highly recommended!
*ARC from publisher, Available August 2025
Kaliana is a young woman who has been through it. A tragic result of the cycle of addiction and the price that families pay. Kali has worked to master her addiction and has paid her dues to the justice system. She's looking forward to freedom, but then she meets her parole officer-who himself is the tragic result of abuse in the foster family system. What this meeting really is is lifechanging for both of them.
That's all I'm going to say about the plot, other than its themes which are addiction, generational addiction, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, rehabilitation, breaking cycles and ultimately hope? That's how I'm choosing to see it, anyway.
But this is all blended together with a violent supernatural aspect that I can't get into without spoilers. Anyone that has read Mark's work in the past will know how imaginative and creative he can be when it comes to bringing home the powers of addiction, obsession, loneliness and love. I think back to some of the creatures he's written about and how they compare to the one in this novella and I've just concluded that they're all extraordinary and that's all there is to say.
Once again, I've been blown away by this author's work. It just keeps getting better and more imaginative and I don't know how that's possible. I'm glad that there are publishers out there giving authors like this a place to showcase their talents. Otherwise we might be missing out on incredible stories like this one.
Highly recommended!
*ARC from publisher, Available August 2025
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