Hunger and Thirst

by Claire Fuller

1987: After a childhood trauma and years in and out of the care system, sixteen-year-old Ursula finds herself with a new job in the postroom of a local art school, a bed in a halfway house, and—delightfully— some new friends, including wild-child, Sue. When Ursula is invited to join a squat at The Underwood, a mysterious house whose owners met a terrible end, she can’t resist the promise of a readymade, hodgepodge family.

But as Sue’s behaviour and demands become more extreme, Ursula who has always been hungry—for food—and more importantly for love, acceptance and belonging, carries out her friend’s terrible dare. It's a decision that will haunt her for decades.

Thirty-six years later, Ursula is a renowned, reclusive sculptor living under a pseudonym in London when her identity is exposed by true-crime documentary-maker who is digging into an unsolved disappearance. But it is not only the filmmaker who has discovered Ursula’s whereabouts, and as her past catches up with her present, Ursula must work out whether the monsters are within her or without.

From critically acclaimed and award-winning author, Claire Fuller, Hunger and Thirst is a compelling and chilling tale of loneliness and female friendship, of the dangerous line between wanting and needing, and of how far a person will go to truly belong.

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Adult, Adult Fiction, Literary Fiction, Horror Thriller, Mystery

352 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication May 7, 2026

About the author

Claire Fuller is the author of six novels: The Memory of Animals; Unsettled Ground, which won the Costa Novel Award 2021, and was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction; Our Endless Numbered Days, which won the 2015 Desmond Elliott prize; Swimming Lessons, shortlisted for the Encore Prize; Bitter Orange longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award; and forthcoming in May 2026 Hunger and Thirst.

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness! This freaking book absolutely blew my mind! Please don’t just add it to your TBR — put it at the very top and jump in immediately. This book isn’t just good… it’s AMAZING. It’s horrifying, insane, eerie, and deeply gothic. It makes your blood run cold, delivers real jump scares, and has you sleeping with the lights on while your imagination runs wild, convinced there are shadowy entities lurking in every corner. This is the kind of story that makes you paranoid — feeling like someone’s watching you, locking your door not once but three times, then sprinting to your bed and hiding under the blankets without daring to look back. Pure, shivery terror — and I loved every second of it.

I adored the characterization, the slow-burn mystery, and the way the eerie paranormal elements slowly creep under your skin. The horror doesn’t rush at you — it crawls, tightening its grip, blurring the thin line between reality and delusion in the most haunting way. And honestly, The Underwood itself feels like the true main character: a sinister, haunted house where every step makes you nauseous, where you’re torn between pushing deeper into the darkness or running away without ever looking back. The tension builds relentlessly, strange events pile up, and in the final quarter — when past and present collide — everything explodes. The revelations are wild, twisted, and shocking, and when things finally hit the fan, you’ll want to slam the book shut, drop your e-reader, and start planning your own escape. That’s how intense it gets.

The story unfolds across two timelines. In the present, we follow Uschi, a famous sculptor in her mid-fifties, still carrying the scars of a past she’s tried to bury. Her life is thrown into turmoil when documentary filmmaker Emma Zahini begins investigating the mysterious events of 1987 — the year Uschi, then known as Ursula, left Dougherty House. Back then, at just sixteen, Ursula was living in a group home with ex-criminals and addicts, waiting for her caseworker Joy to find her something better. Instead, she made the fatal mistake of moving into The Underwood — an abandoned house already steeped in tragedy.

Ursula’s life had been shaped by loss from the very beginning: orphaned, never knowing her father, witnessing her young mother’s death in Morocco as a child, then being sent to England and shuffled through foster homes before landing at Dougherty House. She worked in the post room at an art school, where she met Sue, a secretary with big dreams, and Sue’s erratic boyfriend Vince — the one who first suggests Ursula move into The Underwood, rent-free. Drawn like a moth to a flame, Ursula falls into a complicated, intense friendship with Sue: unreliable, eccentric, adventurous, and determined to become a horror film director in the States, always railing against inequality and championing women’s power.

Desperate for love, compassion, and acceptance, Ursula finds herself pulled into Sue’s dysfunctional inner circle. She even develops a tender crush on Raymond — Sue’s intelligent, observant brother — the one person who truly seems to see her. But Sue’s reckless dares and obsession with The Underwood push them into terrifying territory. Soon, they begin to suspect they’ve awakened something dangerous — something still living within the walls of the house where an entire family once died tragically. Or are they? Is it real, or is it all in their minds? In The Underwood, the veil between reality and delusion is impossibly thin.

Then someone disappears. A body is never found. And nearly forty years later, the unanswered questions still haunt Ursula. Can she finally outrun her past — or is it about to catch up with her for one last, devastating confrontation?

Overall: This book is incredibly unique — unlike anything I’ve ever read. I can honestly say it’s already one of my favorite books of 2026, and it might even become my all-time favorite horror novel (though it’s probably too early to declare, with so many more books ahead of me). Still, I’m certain it’s earned a permanent place in my top ten. This is an absolute MUST READ. Do not miss it!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Zando for sharing this AMAZING HORROR BOOK as a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.


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[Ceecee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved Claire Fuller’s novels for a number of years now and so hugely anticipate her latest novel which immediately hooks me in.
1987. After years in the care system following a trauma, sixteen year old Ursula is found a new job working in the post room of an art college. She makes a friend in Sue who could be a bit of a wild child but has ambitions for a future in Hollywood making films. As Ursula is currently living in a grotty halfway house, she’s invited to join Sue and a fellow worker Vince at a squat – The Underwood on Barrow Road. The events of that summer will define Ursula‘s life. In the present day, documentary maker Emma Zahini is pursuing Ursula now known as Uschi, and is a successful sculptor. Emma unleashes the past in her film Dark Descent which catches up with Ursula, meaning she must dig deep to work out where the truth lies. You can change your name but you can’t change the past or what lives in your head.

This novel really is the very definition of a chiller which is extremely well written. At the start when Ursula meets Sue, you are lulled into a false sense of security with some lively scenes at a family lunch at Sue’s home. Here, Ursula meets Raymond, Sue’s brother, who is clever and kind and will a become pivotal character in future events. There are suspenseful hints at Ursula’s traumatic past, she’s a damaged soul, desperate for acceptance, friendship and above all to survive. All the characters are exceptionally well portrayed with some intriguing dynamics between them.

The mood darkly changes once Ursula, Sue and Vince arrive at Underwood and this is a stark contrast to the start. It becomes so tense, scary and claustrophobic with some scenes in which I can scarcely breathe. Underwood is an ever-changing malignant character in its own right. Is it a “bad place” or is it the people? Here, there’s everything from fun and friendship which morphs to alcohol fuelled antagonism, to the sinister and downright eerie, it’s puzzling and enigmatic. At the very least it’s unsettling making me question what’s real and what not, giving it a very surreal feeling in parts. The Gothic under and overtones are done exceptionally well. I heave a sigh of relief once Ursula leaves that “haunted” property, but it will continue to hang over her life.

Not only has the author created a real horror of a mystery but it also includes thought provoking issues such as mental health and attitudes towards those who are in care or who have been through the system.

This is a novel I won’t forget in a hurry and as for the ending, wow, it’s so good I have icy tingles up and down my spine.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to. Penguin General. UK. for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.

[Hannah Greendale (Hello, Bookworm)]

- a wild child ✅
- tense atmosphere ✅
- issues of mental health ✅
- a mysterious house in the woods ✅
- eerie setting & Gothic undertones ✅✅✅

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man, this was depressing as hell.

This was definitely a slow burn, but it the pace worked out with what the story was telling here. A lot of build up of the characters and each relationship, but it never felt like it dragged. If you go in expecting a straight forward horror story, you're not going to enjoy this. It needs to simmer.

I found myself so wrapped up in the story and the characters. It made me ache in the worst way. Ursula is such an interesting main character. She wasn't perfect by any means and I always understood the choices she made. She felt real to me. The story itself was tense and atmospheric. Confusing and jumbled but in a way that worked, if that makes any sense.

I think Claire Fuller is brilliant and I can't wait to read more from her.

Thank you to Zando and to netgalley for the arc!

[Stevie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hunger and Thirst begins with Ursula, a woman who recounts her impoverished adolescence and a traumatic event that haunted her for the rest of her life.

In the first few chapters, the author tells a sad story with elements of a young adult novel; however, around the middle of the book, the story transforms into a horror story, and it is here that the story truly shines. The author has an exceptional ability to describe chilling and captivating scenes, and from that point on, we witness the main character's descent into madness and how, despite Ursula's brilliance, regret never allowed her to live a fulfilling life.

Thank you, NetGallery and Zando Publishing, for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.

[Seawitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a dark story. I think it will appeal to those who enjoy ghoulish, mysterious, edgy reads.

I’ve read and enjoyed a few of Claire Fuller’s books. She is a talented writer and sets a specific mood with her descriptions. This book was just a tad too twisted for me to fully embrace it.

The protagonist is orphaned as a child and grows up in care homes. Her tragic early years are only suggested for quite a bit of the book but as they are revealed more fully her actions as a 16 year old begin to make more sense. If they are her actions? Is she imagining things and blaming herself unfairly?

There are a few unanswered questions or perhaps some magical realism in this story.

I’m probably just too concrete for the ending that the author chose.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Maya]

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando | Tin House for providing me with the ARC.
I have to stop getting fooled by beautiful covers. Who paid all of those people to write five star reviews, such that lead me to expect the next great literary sensation, lol? Not to be rude, but this is not a book for me. I have a rule of mine to dnf any book that doesn’t get to me in the first 20% - it’s quite enough time to decide if a book will be a hit or a miss. And that was maybe the most boring first 20% I’ve read in a while. This has everything that bores me to death in a “horror” – a dull and painfully one note main character, mundane everyday activities, painfully slow set up and a long list of characters being introduced. My first DNF of the year.

[Ben Dutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claire Fuller's latest novel, Hunger and Thirst, tells the story of Ursula, a troubled teen growing up in the 1980s, and thirty six years later, as a reclusive artist whose past is about to catch up with her through a documentary film about an event at a squat. the Underwood.

This is a dark tale, which drifts close to becoming a full blown horror, and is full of great character details. Ursula is a character easy to feel sympathy for - even if she wants to be distant - and her descent into the madness of youth is well captured.

Fuller is an extremely talented writer -if you haven't read Our Endless Numbered Days or Unsettled Ground they are highly recommended. Hunger and Thirst continues her winning streak, and is well worth diving into it's darkness and depth.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

[Trisha]

oooh this one sounds good!

[Ellen Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved Ursula’s character and her friendships. When the book jumps to the later years, I was captivated by how Ursula had changed as a person. I enjoyed the true crime sleuth aspect when she’s exposed and they start digging into her past all those decades ago. This is truly a book that shows how things can haunt us. What a strong female lead character!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Nicole Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Tin House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Set largely in 1987, “Hunger and Thirst” by Claire Fuller follows sixteen-year-old Ursula, a damaged and deeply vulnerable girl who has grown up in the care system and slipped through its cracks. Recently placed in a halfway house and working a menial job in the post room of an art college, Ursula is desperate for belonging. She finds it in an unlikely friendship with Sue, a volatile but charismatic young woman with dreams of Hollywood, and Vince, another care-leaver. Together they move into an abandoned squat known as The Underwood, a bungalow shrouded in rumors after the sudden and possibly violent death of its former occupants. That summer, made out to be claustrophobic, intense, and deeply unsettling, will come to define the rest of Ursula’s life.

Fuller tells the story through a slow-burning, character-led narrative that shifts subtly between past and present. In the present day, Ursula is now Uschi, a successful but reclusive sculptor, still haunted by what happened at The Underwood as a documentary filmmaker begins to excavate her past. These brief glimpses of the future never overwhelm the main story, instead adding a quiet sense of dread as you begin to understand just how inescapable those formative events truly are.

This is not a straightforward horror novel, though it is undeniably chilling. The first half reads almost like literary fiction, carefully building relationships, insecurities, and power dynamics, particularly within female friendship. Fuller excels at capturing Ursula’s aching need for acceptance and the ways trauma shapes her choices. The tension simmers rather than explodes, creating an atmosphere that is eerie, confusing, and emotionally heavy. When the story darkens, and it does, the shift is deeply effective. The Underwood itself feels like a living, malignant presence, raising unsettling questions about whether the true horror lies in the house or in the people drawn to it.

Fuller’s writing is elegant and immersive, making even the most depressing moments compulsively readable. Her depiction of life in care, squatting, and poverty is unflinching; the dirt, neglect, and discomfort feel almost physical. Her handling of mental health and loneliness is subtle and compassionate. The 1980s setting, without mobile phones or easy access to information, heightens the isolation and sense of danger.

“Hunger and Thirst” is bleak, emotionally draining, and at times deeply uncomfortable, but it is also powerful and unforgettable. The ending lingers long after the final page, delivering a quiet, icy shock rather than a loud payoff. Claire Fuller once again proves herself a master of exploring damaged lives and the quiet horrors that grow from neglect, longing, and the past we can never quite escape.

[Emily Poche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Zando for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Hunger & Thirst by Claire Fuller is a story set in Britain in the late 1980s, about a teenager thrust into a tense dysfunctional roommate situation after escaping the foster care system. When things turn violent at the squat they share, Ursula becomes convinced that something is amiss with her, the house, and everyone who’s been in contact with it.

Hunger & Thirst does a very good job of creating a sense, at times, of being a straight thriller, making the supernatural elements seem even more tense. Because the people around Ursula either don’t believe her when she talks about the presence she feels has touched her life or are branded as unreliable characters, it makes the reader question what’s real and what’s invented. As we’re never fully sure what’s Ursula’s reality and what is psychological manifestations of guilt, loneliness, or resentment, it has a very uncertain feeling. When you have a story that starts with the belief that ghosts or demons are real, their presence can be less impactful than if we’re left questioning whether something is real or imagined.

The way that the author wrote the character of Sue was really artful. She’s at once charming, magnetic, and friendly. On the other hand she can be selfish, self-absorbed, and tone deaf to other people’s feelings. She’s a perfect object of both the narrator, Ursula’s envy and admiration while also feeling overwhelmed and hurt by her callousness at times. Her flippant attitude towards things contrasts well with her brother, Ray, who has a much softer and more serious character. Sue is a great focal character for the book, and her somewhat mixed-bag personality creates a great enigmatic shadow around the circumstances of her death.

Something that I didn’t feel was particularly successful was the use of the true crime documentary framing that appeared in some chapters. The author simply didn’t give enough of the documentary in the scenes, nor did it go through the Emma Zahini character in depth. At first it seems as if this is going to be a much weightier part of the book, but if feels either underdeveloped or half baked.

I also found that the timing in this book could be a slow at first. The book lurches in leaps forward and then stagnating. At times I felt as if the story was spinning its wheels and felt a little bogged down in the more reflective sections.

I think that if you like thrillers and want to rip your toe into the waters of horror books, Hunger & Thirst is a wonderful option. I’m rating it a 3.5/5 rounded up to 4/5 where possible.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t often read horror (or horror-adjacent books) as I am rather squeamish, but something about the premise of this book managed to pull me in and I am glad for it. (I would recommend this book for anyone else who also doesn’t enjoy body horror or gore as I didn’t find this book too difficult to read.)

As for the reading experience of this book outside of its genre, I loved it as every sentence flows so easily, making it easy to just fall into and keep reading while still being well written. The first half of this book is slower and reads like a literary fiction focused on this group of people and how Ursula is desperately trying to find her space in this group and in the world in general. Literary fiction is my favourite genre so I really enjoyed this slower pace and character-focused plot. This first half especially set up all the characters very well, which paid off incredibly well in the latter half of the book. That being said, there is still a strong undercurrent of tension throughout this section which builds steadily so even readers who prefer a faster pace would still be engaged. The feeling Fuller’s descriptions of the bungalow in particular evoked were so eerie and sinister. I also liked how Ursula’s future self slips in during her narration, particularly because it is not a split narrative in the sense that alternating chapters are spent in each timeline (which often forces more time to be spent in the future than needs to be). The little snippets we saw from the future helped enhance what was happening but where rarely more than a paragraph long so didn’t distract from the main plot.

Ursula was a really compelling character to me and only became more so as the book revealed more about her past experiences and how they had shaped who she was at 16. Claire Fuller’s narrators/main characters are always easy for me to become invested in. I also thought that both Ursula’s and Vince’s experiences as children who were/had been in the foster care system were handled well. There is a lot of subtle representation in this book, which is done in such a way that it makes the story feel even more authentic as the characters just feel like real people with a breadth of characteristics and struggles.

I am always on the lookout for books on female friendship, and this book did not disappoint. The thoughts and insecurities that were a large focus of Ursula’s narration were, to me, very accurate to how female friendships feel.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

[Hayley · Rating 5 out of 5]

With thanks to Penguin and Zando for early Kindle copies of Hunger & Thirst, and to NetGalley for providing a space where readers can support authors by engaging with their work before general release.

I always look forward to new writing from Claire Fuller. I love a deeply character-led story, and Fuller never baulks at stripping her characters back to their bare bones, no matter how sad, dark, or troubled they may be.

Hunger & Thirst tells the troubled story of Ursula. Now sixteen, she is the product of a difficult start to life, shaped by years spent in care and foster homes, always the child who is never chosen for adoption. After a spell in a halfway house and working in a college post room, Ursula makes her first real friends — an eclectic and damaged group — and is offered the chance to move into a very unusual squat: a bungalow abandoned after the sudden death of its occupants.

Her new friends include Sue, a young woman battling her own demons, who dreams of becoming a film director and moving to America. Sue persuades the group to make a horror film inspired by the supposed events that took place in the house. From this point, a chain of events unfolds, gradually deepening and darkening the story until the reader is left unsure whether it is the characters themselves or the house that is driving the creeping horror.

The novel unfolds across dual timelines, moving between Ursula’s childhood, her time in the house, and the present day, where she lives as a reclusive artist. She is attempting to bury the dark and tragic events of her past, though they may be catching up with her once again. Ursula moves frequently, maintaining her privacy and a carefully measured distance from others.

It is also important to note that the book is set in the 1980s — a time before the internet and mobile phones, with no easy way to research the past or call for help — a detail that deepens the sense of isolation and unease throughout the novel.

Hunger & Thirst is a slow-burning, unsettling novel. Claire Fuller once again proves her skill at exploring damaged lives, a poor moral compass, and the quiet horrors that grow from loneliness and neglect. This is not a comfortable read, but it is a powerful and thought-provoking one, best suited to readers who enjoy psychologically rich, character-driven fiction.

[TheNovelNomad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hunger and Thirst was my first time reading Claire Fuller, and it definitely won’t be my last.

I went into this book knowing very little beyond the premise, and I was quickly pulled into its quiet, unsettling atmosphere. The story moves at a measured pace, but it never felt slow to me—instead, it allowed the tension to build gradually, seeping in rather than announcing itself. There’s an unease that settles early on and never quite lets go.

Ursula is a deeply affecting protagonist. Her hunger—for food, for safety, for love and belonging—shapes every choice she makes, and it’s impossible not to feel for her, even when those choices lead somewhere dark. The 1987 timeline is especially immersive, capturing the vulnerability of a teenager aging out of the care system with very little protection or guidance. The sense of isolation is palpable, made even sharper by the era and its lack of safety nets.

The Underwood itself is one of the most memorable elements of the novel. It feels alive in a way that’s difficult to explain—oppressive, watchful, and heavy with history. Whether the danger comes from the house or from the people drawn to it is never entirely clear, and that uncertainty is what makes the story so effective. The novel constantly blurs the line between psychological horror and something more supernatural, keeping the reader questioning what’s real.

I also appreciated the dual timeline, which adds an extra layer of tension as Ursula’s past begins to surface decades later. The contrast between who she was and who she becomes is quietly devastating, and the way her earlier experiences continue to shape her life felt painfully realistic.

This is a haunting, character-driven novel that lingers long after you’ve finished reading. It’s eerie without being flashy, emotionally heavy without being overwrought, and deeply human in its exploration of loneliness and the desperate need to belong. As a first introduction to Claire Fuller’s work, Hunger and Thirst left a strong impression on me.

[Hannah Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a couple of tries of starting this book, putting it down for a few days and restarting it before I could really get into it. The ONLY reason that was is because the moving from the past to the present and back again was very jarring and not set up in any way to give me warning, so every time that time would skip, I would have to figure out where I was and what was going on.

Once I got used to that, though, and figured out how to tell where I was, I devoured this book in one sitting and was mad that I didn't push myself to read it earlier. Time skipping aside, I loved the author's writing style. I loved the way that the first half of the book kind of lulled you into a sense of ease, where you were definitely curious about what the present was talking about, but not overly stressed. I had mixed emotions on all of the characters, but to me, that made them human, so in that regard I enjoyed them all in one way or another.

Anyway, the book is going and doing its thing and then we reach the second half and--call me completely caught off guard. What happened in itself was obviously not a surprise, but the things that happened AFTERWARD threw me. I absolutely loved it and I will now side-eye anyone who randomly says that they are thirsty. If anything, I wish there had been MORE to the creepiness, just because I enjoyed reading it so much and it was so well done. I could have read an entire novel of just (...) knocking on the door and talking.

Overall, I was very satisfied with the book. I thought that what happened to Vince was kind of poetic justice because of what he did to (...) I was VERY happy with Raymond's ending is all I will say on that.

I just... yeah. I loved it. I love that fever dream sort of occurence, where you're never really sure WHAT happened. It sits with me and makes me dwell on it a lot and that's a sign of a good book to me. As soon as this book comes out in paperback (pleaaaase can we have it soon?!) I will be buying a copy.

[Katharine Bubbear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have been a fan of Claire Fuller’s works for years, and Hunger and Thirst did not disappoint. She is a master of psychological suspense, and in this novel deftly weaves it through themes of loss, mental anguish and creativity. Her sparse, neat prose suits her foray into the horror genre - nothing is over-egged, the reader is calmly, chillingly and with remarkable detail, led through this dark mystery, a couple of chapters of which made my breath halt as I raced through their terror.

Set in 1987, the book follows Ursula who we first meet as a troubled teenager working in a post room of an art school, having survived an unimaginable trauma, after which she is bounced around various foster and care homes. She is befriended by a colleague, Sue, who convinces her to leave her grimy halfway house and move in with her lover, Vince, who is squatting in an abandoned bungalow, The Underwood. Ursula’s friendship with Sue is fast-paced, bordering on obsessive, and ends with a tragedy. All very predictable so far — what happens after is anything but predictable, and so begins the horror.

Flitting between past and present, Ursula’s story unravels as we discover what she escaped from and learn about her reclusive life as a celebrated sculptor and artist. Like her main character, Fuller chips away at the plot, slowly revealing a beautifully crafted, impossible to put down, chiller of a novel. The Underwood looms over the whole story, a brooding, evil place, which leaves its mark on every character who interacts with it. Could I have coped with even more slow, simmering fear? Probably. Did the ending make me cry out in frustration? Yes. Should this book be read at night? Absolutely not. It’s 4 stars from me. Expect the unexpected. Now I’m off to find some water, this book has left me parched…

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claire Fuller is an auto-buy author for me, and Hunger and Thirst once again proves exactly why she holds that title.

This is a slow-burning, character-led narrative that subtly shifts between past and present. We follow Ursula, a vulnerable girl who has grown up in the care system and slipped through its cracks. Fuller excels at writing people - messy, aching, lonely people - and the power dynamics, misery, and grit she captures feel utterly visceral. The layers in her character work are astonishing; honestly, this woman can write.

The story is rich and absorbing, steeped in its 1980s setting, where the limitations of technology heighten the sense of isolation. There’s a horror undertone that flirts with the genre without ever fully tipping into it. The Underwood itself becomes a character, and once again I found myself completely encapsulated by Fuller’s world. She has an uncanny ability to make me root for her characters, fall with them, get back up, and fall all over again.

I found the novel unsettling rather than outright scary, which I appreciate in a literary horror blend. For me, it’s the themes, character and setting portrayals that linger and disturb more than any plot twists. Though, as a certified chicken, I still wouldn’t choose to read this alone in a dark house.

I’ve noticed a pattern with Fuller’s books: I often struggle a little in the first 15–25%, only to become utterly absorbed for the remainder. Hunger and Thirst is no exception. Like her other novels, it’s stuck in my brain like a fly on sugar. I keep gushing about it, and realistically this is probably a five-star read for me, but I’m always hesitant to hand out five stars unless a book clicks 100%. So, reluctantly, I’m calling this a 4.5 (or a very strong 4+).

Out June 2nd 2026.

Thanks to Zando / Tin House for the NetGalley copy!

[Chelsea Knowles · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.*

Hunger and Thirst follows Ursula in 1987 as she gets a new job in the postroom of a local art school. At sixteen years old she is living in a halfway house after a childhood in care. She meets a new friend called Sue and is invited to join a squat. Ursula desperately wants to be accepted so she carries out Sue’s dare and is along for Sue’s wild ideas. Thirty-six years later Ursula is a reclusive sculptor but her identity is revealed by a true crime documentary-maker. Her past catches up with her and Ursula must work out what really happened at the squat and if her past is real.

This really wasn’t for me and that’s not surprising to me because I haven’t had the best luck with this author before in the past. This book is written well and I could easy connect to Ursula as a character. Ursula has had a difficult life and it as easy to understand why she behaves the way she does. The rest of this was just a little forgettable for me and I’m not sure that the synopsis matches the tone of the book.

[Maisie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a vision in mind on how this book would go after reading the synopsis but boy was I wrong, and in the process pleasantly surprised! The story follows orphan Ursula as she navigates young adulthood in a society that's unforgivingly spat her out of the care system. As a result of her upbringing and trauma, Ursula serves as a narrator that is difficult to rely on for a clear picture, revealing her as a compelling main character who feels rounded and layered.

Fuller does an amazing job at creating horror and suspense. There is a desperate tone to this novel that really picks up around the halfway point, with the beginning part of the book serving as an introduction to the main group of characters. The descriptions of Underwood are realistic and raw, borderline disgusting at times, which are only maximised by the bleak tone of the novel.

Overall, I enjoyed Hunger and Thirst a lot, and it has gotten me out of a multiple month reading slump. I highly recommend for those who love a dive into the psyche of humanity and right/wrong dilemmas.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin for a copy of this book in exchange for a review, which is, of course, all my own opinions.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely unsettling, and I'm not sure I would ever be able to walk into a bathroom that has flies hanging around inside after reading this! This is a slow-burn, chilling story that starts out with the story of Ursula, a teenage girl who has been in the care system and now has a job in the post room of a arts college. To begin with, it feels like a literary fiction tale of a disturbed teen, finding her way in the world, until Ursula moves out of the house her social worker found for her, and moves into a squat with someone from work. The squat, almost a character itself in the book, is creepy, and a home with a dark history, and so begins a slow burn descent into what...horror or mental delusions...we never truly find out. I am not good with horror generally, so I found this tricky to read at bedtime and had to shift it to daylight reading only!
It is definitely creepy, and my imagination fully bought into the madness of the Underwood, and the belief in it being something supernatural, so I was on edge until the very end.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advanced copy.

[Miriam Barber · Rating 4 out of 5]

*With thanks to Netgalley for the ARC*

Claire Fuller has a delicious knack for setting truly unsettling gothic horror against a backdrop of utterly recognisable, almost mundane English life. This is another great example.

Our narrator is Ursula, now Uschi, a successful artist who recalls her early life at the point in the mid-1980s when she left foster care and - with the support of a social worker - began to live independently and work in the post room of an art school. This time of her life has defined it ever since - the friends she made, the experiences she had, and her brief time living at the Underwood - a squat with a haunting back story.

Now, in the present, Ursula’s story is being woven without her involvement into a new documentary film and in watching it, she is returned to the horror of that far-away summer and sees with adult eyes some more layers of the truth. Can she trust her memories, and more to the point can we trust her telling of the tale? The ending of the book is a perfect dramatic twist.

A compelling book.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

As in her previous novels there is an odd, abandoned building at the core, in this case a house where a man killed his family then himself and is slated for demolition as understandably no one wants to buy it. Instead it becomes a squat but everyone who enters gets a weird unsettled feeling as if it’s dark history isn’t confined to the past.

It’s told in a dual timeline, one back when they lived in that house and the present day when a documentary digs up what happened again which worked well and added to the tension. The horror and atmosphere got under your skin and I enjoyed where the story went.

Fuller also again considers the life’s of people who could be considered outsiders due to their background, in this case children raised in the care system and she paints that reality well.

I felt this was trying to understand if people can ever truly understand each other and if you can have a completely difference experience of something fundamental but still feel a real connection. What is reality and how much of that is shared and how much does our mind create just for us? Fuller mines her sculpture background to further show this as the narrator is able to sculpt produce pieces which don’t seem to come from her conscious mind.

I have loved all of her previous books and this is no exception.

Thanks to NetGalley and Fig Tree for the arc

[Ophelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hunger and Thirst is my third novel by Claire Fuller, and by now I recognise the pattern of my relationship with her work: I am irresistibly drawn in, deeply unsettled, and slightly repulsed and yet unable to stop reading. Fuller has a remarkable talent for creating stories that feel dark, sinister, and quietly macabre, and this novel is no exception.

The atmosphere is claustrophobic and uneasy from the outset, with tension simmering beneath even the most ordinary moments. Fuller’s protagonists are never easy to like, and here again I found myself recoiling from the central character, judging her choices and feeling deeply uncomfortable. And yet, that discomfort is precisely the point. Fuller writes flawed, unsettling people with such precision that the revulsion feels intentional, controlled, and effective.

What impresses me most is how compulsive the reading experience is despite (or because of) this unease. I felt constantly pulled forward by the story, even as I wanted to distance myself emotionally, as if reading while metaphorically hiding behind the sofa.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published June 2, 2026.

3 stars

In 1987, Ursula, sixteen, has illegally left care, has a menial job at an art school and is squatting with friend Vince at the Underwood, a house where the owners were allegedly murdered. She and Vince are also close to Sue but things become complicated. These chapters are interspersed with those covering Ursula’s life thirty-six years later when she is a celebrated sculptor, still trying to live with the fallout of that time.

This was O.K. For the first half of the book the touches on Ursula’s later life were very short and seemed misplaced, but I understand why they were included. What the author does a good job with, somewhat oddly, is dirt. One really gets a sense of how disgusting and wretched everything is when a person is living in care homes or squatting. I felt like I wanted to shower. But, overall, the book was decent, but not much more for me, though if it stays with me I might change my mind.

[Madeline Church · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you pick up Hunger and Thirst, just know it will be different from anything else. I am utterly obsessed with Claire Fuller's writing now. I definitely want to pick up more from this author after getting this introduction. The writing itself was phenomenal, and the author has clear talent.

The story is sooooo intriguing. The horror/literary fiction blend was perfection. Even though it was slower throughout, you cannot get enough. The depiction of loneliness and friendship >>> Ursula was an enthralling main character to follow.

Thank you NetGalley, Tin House, & Claire Fuller for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Hunger and Thirst will be released on June 2, 2026!

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claire Fuller can always be relied upon to write intelligent literary thrillers that inveigle their way under the skin, and 'Hunger and Thirst' is no exception. It's a slow-burn thriller, with a very unreliable and flawed protagonist at the helm - Ursula - a woman with a tragic past. Set partly in 1987 and partly in the present, the story follows Ursula as she leaves the care system and decides to live in a squat with a group of people, one of whom will set her a dare that will change her life forever. Fuller's characters are always intricately created, and I found myself invested in Ursula, right to the bitter end. Great stuff.

[Salma · Rating 4 out of 5]

arc review:

I don’t usually read horror, but this was a surprisingly engaging and eerie read. Ursula is a compelling protagonist, driven by her need for safety and belonging, and her choices feel messy but very human.

The Underwood has such an unsettling presence it feels alive, heavy, and watchful and I liked how the story keeps you guessing about where the real danger lies. The dual timeline adds emotional weight and shows how much Ursula’s past still shapes her life. I really enjoyed watching this world grow and develop and I am looking forward to Claire’s other publications.

4.5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Zando for providing an arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

[izzeales · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took a bit of patience to get to where it was heading. The build up of both the core theme and plotline was pretty much half of the book. Which i personally found a bit meandering but effective in delivering ambiguity.

Fuller's writing enunciates the broody and disorienting nature of the story. Ursula as a main character was developed staunchly by time— her fabric of reality persistently challenged, giving the book its best quality.

I appreciate the open ending, i almost anticipated it. Way to keep it haunting!

All my love and gratitude for Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy 🖤

[em · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was sickening and unsettling and incredibly sad. Ursula has nothing going for her when she befriends Sue, and in turn, Vince. Together they form an unhealthy, toxic version of family that eventually leads to their demise. The writing was what really sold me. While the plot was slow, on purpose, and the characters unlikeable, the writing was so haunting that I couldn’t stop reading. I’ll never look at a fly in a glass of water the same way again. Horrifying and addictive.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #HungerAndThirst #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.