Dead Weight

by Hildur Knútsdóttir

An Icelandic night may hide secrets and affairs—or even bodies—in this gruesomely cathartic horror thriller from the author of The Night Guest.

Unnur was living a normal, if lonely, life until a black cat showed up at her door.

Trying to do the right thing, Unnur reunites the lost pet with its owner—a young woman named Ásta who is in desperate need of some help. Unnur reluctantly agrees to take in the cat until Ásta is able to care for it again herself.

Soon, Ásta becomes a fixture in Unnur's life and the two form an unlikely friendship. But like a black cat, trouble is tailing Ásta, and Unnur is the only one there when things take a violent turn.

Nothing tests a friendship like blood on your hands.

Also by Hildur Knútsdóttir
The Night Guest

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

160 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication May 26, 2026

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published May 26, 2026.

3 stars

Unnur is living a lonely life in Reykjavik. She is having a long distance affair with a married man, doesn’t seem to have many (any?) friends and is hopeful for a promotion in her semi-miserable workplace. One day she comes home from work to find a cat sitting in her living room. Make it a dog and this has happened to me. Finding the cat leads Unnur to Asta which leads to darkness.

This short book is billed as horror but I would probably classify it as a thriller. I’m a sucker for books set in Iceland. I’ve also read THE NIGHT GUEST by this author and I gave it three stars too.

[TheConnieFox · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️ Review to come. ♥️

[CarlysGrowingTBR · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25

Book Stats:
📖: 160 pages
Genre: horror
Publisher: Tor Nightfire
Format: eARC
Series: STANDALONE

General Thoughts:
This was an OK read for me. Nothing really made it stand out as overly impressive, but it wasn't completely lackluster either. I think this would be a good one for people who are just diving into the horror genre or looking for something to pad the reading goal. It was a quick and interesting read, but nothing that will last with me long-term.

While the story and premise were interesting, I feel like the execution fell a little flat. I didn't feel overly connected to any of the characters or overly concerned for any of the tribulations. I also felt like the book was extremely predictable and everything played out exactly the way I figured it would. But I do enjoy this author's prose and the way that they overall write their work so I will continue to read from the author.

I did enjoy the overarching theme of dropping dead weight from your life and things that no longer serve you. But I do feel like they could've played up the female empowerment a little heavier than they did. That being said, I did enjoy the way our main character did not waiver in their decision to cut dead weight from their life. I like that they made the decision and stuck with it no matter how hard it was.

Disclaimer: I read this book as a physical ARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Kurryreads (Kerry) · Rating 5 out of 5]

That you tor Nightfire for the early ebook! Obsessed with this one

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTrUYY8VB/

[verynicebook · Rating 3 out of 5]

TW domestic violence, sort of animal cruelty (will explain below, sort of spoiler so be warned)

Very readable and quick, but unfortunately a little too quick as I felt this to be a bit undercooked. I appreciate the story and what it was trying to say, and I also thought the more intense scenes were very entertaining but overall I feel like this was quite underdeveloped and could have done a lot more!

Also TW and sort of spoiler but I feel it’s important to mention, but for anyone who needs it, there are cats in this book and while they are not harmed, there is one uncomfortable scene. I would say it’s borderline animal cruelty but I’ve read a lot worse so don’t worry too much.

[Sam Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

TW: ANIMAL CRUELTY + DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

I’m very thankful to NetGalley, the author, and Tor Nightfire for granting me access to this title before this one hits shelves on March 26, 2026.

Unnur lives a quaint life, seeking a Marketing Manager promotion, jetting away with her secret lover from time to time, and sanctity within her home. That is, until one day, a stray cat (Io) keeps showing up on her porch, breaking in and cozying up in her bed.

Upon locating her owner, Unnur is introduced to Ásta, a broken woman whose baggage haunts her around the clock. It’s soon unveiled that Io and Ásta, both, or running from abuse at home, seeking refuge they both didn’t know they need in the arms of Unnur.

But it’s not long before that oppression comes knocking down the door of Unnur’s condo, but this unlikely friendship binds together to put a stop to the hurt, by taking some bone breaking measures.

Perhaps don’t read when you’re eating lunch. lol

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book is being described as a horror book, I have to disagree...to me it read more like a thriller/mystery. Watching Unnur come out of her shell, to care for someone other than herself (and her shitty boyfriend) was what kept me reading this story....but after you peel back some of Unnur's thoughts, I was intrigued to see where the story would end.
Quick read but worth it.....feminine rage at its finest.
Thanks to Tor Nightfire for the ARC!

[Milana M (acouplereads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading The Night Guest 📖 by Hildur Knútsdóttir I knew I needed more from her. Translated from Icelandic, Dead Weight is another novella you can inhale in about an hour. Unnur is a lonely 30 year old woman who spends her time living a fairly bland uneventful life. Her pilot boyfriend travels ✈️often and her solitary lifestyle doesn’t allow for much companionship. When a black cat 🐈‍⬛shows up on her doorstep Unnur reunites her with her owner. But Ásta is in need of some help. Reluctantly, Unnur takes the cat in temporarily. The two women start an unlikely friendship that soon escalates and takes a violent turn🪓.

I enjoyed this! It kept me hooked from beginning to end because of the buildup and strangeness of the main character’s recounting of events. I had no idea how this would end, and I’m still not sure how I feel about it but it did fit the storyline in a way. The visceral descriptions at the end had me squealing 🤣.

If you’re wanting to test the horror genre 👻 this would be a good one to start with, a quick read with some non gratuitous violence and gore, but more analytical in a way.

Thank you @netgalley and @tornightfire for the digital galley in exchange for a book review, 3.5✨.

Ps. The kitty is okay!

[Becky Spratford]

Reading for review in the April 2026 issue of Library Journal

Three Words That Describe This Book: revenge, unsettling first person narration, visceral

flawed main character, you know from the prologue that Unnur is a woman who has thought long and hard about how to dispose of a body, it is how she calms herself. We learn a bit more why this might be as the story goes on-- she has her own unresolved trauma-- but also it means for the entirety of this short book, the reader is waiting for her to kill someone and dispose of the body.

So you start this book and you are uneasy, not trusting Unnur. Her very detached narration keeps us unsettled. And the more she shares, the less we trust her.

But as it turns out, she is the most trustworthy person here because she is the only one who tells the reader the entire truth. We don't sympathize with her but as readers, we watch her. We want to see if the confidence from the prologue is accurate and what will happen.

Asta and Io the cat are important characters here. Ironically, it might be those too, and how they bring real danger into her life and how that might be the wakeup call she needs to get over her personal trauma, to cut her own dead weight in her life-- both a person and her own emotional baggage-- and finally start living.

A quick, fast read, with a sense of dread encasing the entire story. No supernatural horror here, but how trauma can haunt a person and bog them down, make them go through life without living.

This book reminded me of Out by Kirino. Her Japanese Crime novels are intense and this is where I would send readers after the book.

My Sister the Serial Killer by Braithwaite is also a good comp here.

Fans of the darkest of Nordic noir would like this-- like Jo Nesbo

[Heathers_readss · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in one sitting, it was really good!

I enjoyed the quirkiness of the FMC and how matter of fact she was at all times, it gave her character an unusual edge that I found endearing. I also loved her blossoming friendship with Asta, and as a cat lover.. the two kitties where just perfection 😻😻😻😻

I enjoyed the character development and how both women overcame the toxic hold the men in their life had over them. This was a fun, quick read.. I definitely recommend 😽

Thank you for the gifted copy! All opinions are my own

[Hannah]

OMG, I devoured this short little book in one sitting. I loved it. Unnur’s character development was really lovely and watching her find a friendship and care for a person and pet(s) besides herself was really beautiful.

Feminine rage is totally in right now and this is THE book. The rage builds up in a fantastic way and while reading it, you just feel the tension and know the pot is about to boil over. And when it does… wow. Bravo!

The only thing I wanted was more. I feel like this was a little bit undercooked, and I would have loved an extra 100 pages or maybe Asta’s perspective!

Thank you to Tor Nightfire, NetGalley, and Hildur Knútsdóttir for the free eARC, and I’m leaving this review voluntarily! I will definitely be purchasing a copy on release day, May 26th!!

TW: domestic violence, gore

[ᴄᴏᴜʀᴛ ☠︎︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cunning and brilliantly crafted novella had me both gasping and smirking by the end! 😱😏

Perfectly executed and well-structured, in such a fast-paced, anxiety-inducing manner that has you heavily invested in the blossoming and empowering friendship between Unnur & Ásta, plus the safe well-being of her and sweet furry friend, Io. You will feel many feelings (so double check triggers beforehand) but it's so worth the journey.

This was my first reading XP from Hildur Knútsdóttir, who also wrote The Night Guest, another horror thriller (which has now been added to my TBR after reading this novella!) and I'm so glad that the gorgeous cover art caught my attention and put Hildur's literature in my sights 🫣

Thank you Tor Publishing and NetGalley for early access to this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review! 🙏🏻

[PlantLady Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd like to thank Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review 💚

I loved, adored, and obsessed over the night guest. So I started reading the ARC literally the minute I sent it to my Kindle.

I read it in small increments instead of bingeing it, in order to finish it on Halloween night.
And it perfectly ended my Halloween celebration. 💚

This one is more along the lines of real life horrors and gore, and less chills. Definitely check the trigger warnings.

But Hildur, I'm with you, Dead Weight was as perfect as the night guest was, just differently and I am forever grateful to have read your books 💚

[Rebecca White · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this authors other work so when I saw this one up on NetGalley, I jumped.

I love how Knútsdóttir’s writing flows so easily. I was flying through the chapters. In such a short amount of pages, I felt connected not only to our FMC but also her female companion. The author takes us through an array of emotions before the gruesome finale.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author & TorNightfire for the ARC!

[Megan Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC!

I didn’t like this as much as The Night Guest but I still really enjoyed it. I was very worried for the cats but they make it through unharmed.

This really didn’t have any shocking twists, or twists at all really, we knew what was going on the whole time but I think in this case it worked!

It was fast paced and entertaining. My biggest gripe was probably the last couple of sentences. They were fine but just felt weird. Other than that I really enjoyed this!

[rachel x]

"Unnur was living a normal, if lonely, life until a black cat showed up at her door"

oooh, intriguing

[Roo Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t know what to expect from Hildur Knútsdóttir’s Dead Weight, really. It is one of the shorter books that I read this year, and, really, come on, how much can someone fit into 160 pages when there is murder involved?

Turns out a lot.

Dead Weight doesn’t rely on pages of prose to get its point across. Obviously, I don’t read enough Icelandic to have read the ‘true’ story, but the translation in this one is so on point. Sentences are short and curt. Unnur is curt. She’s unabashably hard to approach. She’s very set in her ways, and in my opinion, she’d be very hard to be friends with in real life. Which, is apart of this story as well.

Unnur is funny. She’s depressed and anxious, she won’t admit it, but she handles it in the funniest stereotypical Nordic way (because I recently learned, it is not a part of Scandinavia). According to her, her life is basically perfect. Yes, her boyfriend is married. But he’s going to leave his wife soon. She has a great job as a business analyst in Reykjavik. The very center of the financial district. She’s very proud of that.

The first chapter opens up in an American Psycho-esque fashion. It’s less about her and her skincare routine, and more about her meandering thoughts about needing groceries. It feels somewhat inane, but sprinkled with humblebragging about herself. She tells you who she is right off the bat. If someone else is the waves ebbing at your feet, Unnur is a whole tidal wave.

One note I made in my reading is that I didn’t know the gender of Unnur until she said her name. Unnur is a traditionally feminine name in Icelandic, which is a country that prides itself on linguistic purity to the point of there being only about 4500 names to choose from when you give birth to a child. You can appeal, but even Nordic words get denied (as well as someone tried to name their child Hel, which also got denied). If you name your child something that isn’t on that list, and you apply for, say, a passport, it might just say ‘girl’ or ‘boy’ instead of their name. Is this important to the story? No, but it’s interesting to me that we don’t learn Unnur’s name until about Chapter 4. Until you know she’s a woman, it’s not obvious. Which… well done.

As I mentioned, this is a shorter book. Straight and to the point like grandma’s fruit cake. Unnur comes home from a trip to find a cat she doesn’t know, later we learn is named Io, on her bed. From there she forms a friendship (her first one, from her recollection) with the world’s most beautiful woman, Asta. I won’t go into too many details for the review, but Asta is with a man who gets what’s coming to him. Unnur is there to support her through everything and even though they haven’t been friends for very long, gets her through the hardest part.

There are also some allusions to Unnur’s past. I wish it were a bit clearer, but I think her father committed suicide when she was younger. She’s weirdly prepared for the undertaking that she and Asta have to go through. It was either that, or he was a mass murderer in Iceland. Like I said, it is unclear (to me, I’m sure there is someone out there who will tell me I’m wrong). But that’s also weirdly intriguing, because it is like talking to a friend of mine from Iceland. They may allude to something, but it's said so factually that you’re like “alright, guess I’m not learning anymore about that today”.

Overall, I think this book is excellent. It hit my anxiety super hard in one part, and I wanted to jump through my Kindle and strangle someone. I think that Dead Weight is a delightful look into someone who has the same weird thoughts I do (at several points I felt like Knútsdóttir was perhaps reading my thoughts). I do think the story struggled a bit because it felt a little too easy to say “true crime podcasts are the reason we got away with it,” but it was a good story otherwise.

I think that Dead Weight would be a perfect book for anyone who likes Kirino Natsuo. While Kirino is more descriptive in her novels, I feel these two authors have more in common than just “woman as butcher”. They also explore female relationships and friendship in a way that’s more than, I helped you hide a body.

Dead Weight can be enjoyed on a train, plane, or a regular afternoon if you’ve got time to kill. I highly recommend it and give it 5/5.

[Justin Soderberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

The allure of reading Dead Weight by Hildur Knútsdóttir was strong after liking The Night Guest , so reading the latest novella was sort of a no-brainer. At only 160 pages, it's a thriller packed tight with real-world horrors and some deeply unsettling moments.

Unnur was living a normal, if lonely, life until a black cat showed up at her door. Trying to do the right thing, Unnur reunites the lost pet with its owner―a young woman named Ásta who is in desperate need of some help. Unnur reluctantly agrees to take in the cat until Ásta is able to care for it again herself.

Soon, Ásta becomes a fixture in Unnur's life and the two form an unlikely friendship. But like a black cat, trouble is tailing Ásta, and Unnur is the only one there when things take a violent turn. Nothing tests a friendship like blood on your hands.

Knútsdóttir does a great job exploring the idea of letting go, shedding the "dead weight" and the parts of our lives we no longer need, through in a more intense and serve way. Dead Weight offers moments of kinship, but is balanced by a few visceral scenes that add just the right amount of impact with overwhelming the story. While billed as a horror and thriller, it leans much more toward the latter, and tossing in mystery to boot. While there are moments of horror, mostly grounded in real-life fears, it's the mystery surrounding it all that made the story what it is.

With this stepping more into the mystery/thriller side of things than outright horror, Dead Weight wasn't overly gory, at least until the end. It follows two women whose life choices intertwine in ways that ultimately lead to violence as they work together. The story focuses less on the fictional, gore-filled horror and more on the horrors women face each and every day in the real world.

What really elevated this story from merely okay to good was the character development, and Knútsdóttir's ability to do this in a limited page count. Unnur grows significantly in a short span, shifting to caring for someone else instead of just herself and, as we find out, her awful boyfriend. This transformation made the story worth the effort, wanting to see how far she would go and how things would end up.

Dead Weight by Hildur Knútsdóttir is a well-written, fast-paced thriller with a gripping story and premise. Much like The Night Guest , I was happy with what I read, it's an easy read, thought I am not sure why I like it as much as I did. There is not much that goes on, and the story isn't long, yet there's something about Knútsdóttir’s writing that kept me glued to the page. I enjoyed every moment of it.

Dead Weight hits bookstores everywhere on May 26, 2026 from Tor Nightfire. The audiobook, narrated by Mary Robinette Kowal, is available for preorder via Libro.fm!

NOTE: We received an advance copy of Dead Weight from the publisher. Opinions are our own.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novella that begins with a small, almost incidental disruption in an otherwise organized life: a stray black cat somehow finds its way into the quiet loneliness of a woman drifting through Reykjavík, tethered to a life that never quite claims her back. When Unnur follows this curiously loose thread to another woman, Ásta, the story opens into something far more intimate and unsettling than chance would suggest.

In a tightly spun psychological narrative, what forms between them is not romance, nor salvation, but a charged and careful bond built on recognition. Knútsdóttir is acutely attuned to the way women see one another— across differences in temperament, awareness, and power— reading what is unspoken, sensing need before it is named. Their connection grows through small acts of care and proximity, through shared silences and compromises, revealing how empathy can be both an offering and a liability. This is camaraderie without sentimentality: innate, wary, and deeply human (and animal), shaped as much by restraint as by desire for closeness.

The brief story moves with quiet inevitability, each choice feels small when made, heavily weighted when considered in aggregate. This is the slow gravity of connection— how closeness can anchor us— how easily it can pull us under.

Spare, incisive, and emotionally precise, this is a tale that asks the reader to imagine how much lighter the load can be when you’re not carrying it alone.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

(ARC - out 05/26/26 via Tor Nightfire) I really enjoy Hildur Knútsdóttir’s writing style. She writes quieter horror and oddball protagonists so well. Her word usage is economical and she doesn’t bask in any of her scene-setting. I read The Night Guest by her last year and really enjoyed it. The narrator in this one is similar to the narrator in The Night Guest in that they’re both lonely women, existing in a reality that feels a little removed from actual life. Unnur, our narrator in this, is successful in her job, a nebulous sort of business executive, living a quiet life in Reykjavík. She’s in a relationship with a married man that is clearly one-sided. Her naivety coupled with a sort of matter-of-fact speaking style at times borders on childlike. One night she comes home to a cat that won’t leave her apartment, and then gives birth to a solitary kitten. The cat’s owner, Ásta, asks Unnur to take care of the cat and her kitten for the foreseeable future. This connection leads the two women to bond, and Unnur ends up becoming enmeshed in a violent way in Ásta’s abusive relationship. This is such a short read and it’d be a good one for people who are interested in horror that isn’t overly gruesome. I vibed with it in exactly the same way I vibed with The Night Guest.

[Horror Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a creepy story about a woman, a cat, her new friend, and murder. Our protagonist lives alone and is trying to get a promotion at her job. She's also dating a married man with two children. One day she finds a cat inside her apartment. She doesn't have a cat and doesn't want one but it won't go away.

When she finds the owner of the cat, things will take some twists. This woman is in a very abusive relationship and, after much deliberation, decides the cat should stay with the protagonist because the feline snuck back there to have her kitten.

While establishing visitations for the owner to see the cats, they become friends. But after a violent confrontation with her abusive boyfriend, it's going to turn bloody.

While not a particularly gory book, the narrative is almost entirely on these women and the choices they've made which led them to this event. It's an introspective book that ends with violence. It's well written and the horrors are pointed as they deal with real life situations. I recommend it.

I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.

[Mariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dead Weight we carry with us is the horrors unleashed in this novella. Keep in mind this is translated from Icelandic – but like Hildur’s debut translated novel, there is many vivid and bloody details. I think readers who read The Night Guest will appreciate the cat's role in this narrative. Was the cat bad luck or sent to aid them?
Think of this novella as a horror noir. Less of a who done it and more of a what are they thinking did it. This is a fast-paced narrative that really encapsulates what it means to make fast pacing scary. Are they even reliable narrators? You will be questioning who to trust. Another bloody fun narrative that Hildur has delivered – especially if you enjoyed her earlier English language release.
For more reviews, recommendations, and impressions visit my blog, http://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unnur is content with her boring somewhat lonely life when an encounter with a cat introduces her to Asta. Asta is needy and it seems drama follows her around, something that Unnur does not have the energy to deal with. As an unlikely friendship forms, their secrets are revealed and they both unload some dead weight which is a bit bloody.

I love this author's writing style. For me, it is blunt and straight to the juicy, bloody goodness of the story. This book is a mix of horror and gore with a healthy amount of humor and female rage! I will read anything this author writes!

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the copy of this book.

[Lee-Anne Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Building the menace and tension up brilliantly, this latest novella from Hildur is unputdownable! Redeeming herself from what some may see as her past crimes against our feline friends (! 😉) with the cherishing of the cat Io, Hildur brings us two very different women, one focused and very together, and one fragile and emotional. Both are in seriously unenviable relationships, one in denial and one in thrall, and both situations reach a climax from which there is no coming back...

Gripping read, fraught with tension - loved it!

[KJo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story hooked its claws into me from page one! The author masterfully drenched every chapter in suspicion, dread, and that slow burn something's coming tension.

What truly stole my heart, though, is the way this book undeniably expressed the unstoppable power of women lifting up and standing up for other women. When two women each stuck in their own unhealthy relationships are unexpectedly brought together by a sharp judging little feline everything changes. What starts as one woman cat sitting grows into something so much bigger. A friendship, solidarity, and a force that refuses to be broken.

Because honestly! Hell hath no fury like a woman scourned

If you love books with heart, bite, and badass female energy, Dead Weight is one you need on your TBR.

Huge shout out to Tor NightFire and Netgalley for the advanced readers copy.

[Rachel Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

please sir I want some more!

which is all I can "complain" about. I read this in a captivating couple of hours and ahhh this is short and I could've spent more time in this story. I've read the night guest from this author and though they're not similar, the eerie and isolating Icelandic setting is more prevalent than ever in this one.

there's new friendships. some feminine rage. character development. it's set in beautiful freaking iceland. an adorable cat (that is totally fine). and to top it all off, it's a bloody romp.

[Kas Marek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Tor Publishing and NetGalley for the E-ARC.

I read this in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down. It was easy to get sucked into the story and invested in the two female characters. I really like Unnur and found her clinical realism, refreshing. She was very straightforward and easy to understand. Her character partnered well with Asta who was incredibly strong, in much different ways.

Big trigger warnings on the story but all I have to say is good for them.

[Audrey Bonfig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another great work of horror by Hildur Knutsdottir! I love how this author blends the weird and uncanny with horror so seamlessly. The one thing I’ll say is, make sure you’re not eating when you read this!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Joseph D'Aquisto · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a giveaway directly from the author at Icleand Noir Festival this year. I enjoyed it. I liked The Night Guest better, but I still enjoyed this one. It was a quick read. It ends a bit abruptly, but anyone who reads it will gain the knowledge of knowing how to get rid of a body in Iceland!

I look forward to reading more of this author's work.

[Kylie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine. It was definitely not as creepy as the last book. It dealt with much more real topics so please look up trigger warnings. I would classify this more as a mystery suspense rather than a horror book. It was a quick read if you need a book to finish in 1 sitting.