Dead Weight

by Hildur Knútsdóttir, Mary Robinette Kowal (Translator)

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.

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

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 23, 2025

About the author

Hildur Knútsdóttir was born in Reykjavík, Iceland. She writes fiction for both adults and teenagers, as well as plays, screenplays and short fiction. Hildur is known for her evocative fantastical fiction and spine-chilling horror.

Her horror novella The Night Guest was chosen one of the best thrillers of 2024 by The New York Times. Her work has been nominated for The Locus Awards, World Fantasy Awards, The Dublin Literary Award and The Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Prize, and has been awarded The Icelandic Women’s Literary Prize, The Icelandic Literature Prize, The Reykjavík Children’s Literature Prize for best original work and The Icelandic Bookseller’s Prize.

Reviews

[TheConnieFox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella was such an addicting read! Even though this was short, it was very impactful and fun! This is a horror, suspense thriller that kept me on my toes. The setting is in beautiful Iceland. It is about a woman named Unnur, who is very lonely and introverted. A black cat ends up showing up at her door. She finds the owner of the cat, named Asta and returns it to her. They start becoming friends and that’s when things start to become dark and messy.

This book is fast paced, filled with short chapters and a lot of visualizations. It’s about female rage that becomes unsettling, yet satisfying. While reading this, you are inside Unnur’s head, which made this book even more immersive. Her thoughts are unhinged. It is well written, easy to read, came with atmospheric settings and an animal symbolism. It is very memorable and came with great themes. This novel gave me the book, “The Eyes Are The Best Part” by author Monika Kim vibes! Overall, I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars rating!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Hildur Knútsdóttir and Tor Publishing Group, Tor Nightfire for this incredible eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is expected to be published on May 26, 2026!

[Mai H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unhinged women are my bread and butter. Especially when they are made that way by abusive men. Black pill men should be lonelier.

Cats are the crux of the story. Unnur answered the door one day and a black cat showed up. She tries to reconnect the pet with its owner, a woman named Ásta. Ásta's man is the aforementioned black pill man.

🎧 Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio

[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.

[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.

[Elísa Rún · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kom mér skemmtilega á óvart hversu gory þessi bók er! Gat ekki lagt hana frá mér og las hana í raun í einum rykk, mæli með!

[Stephanie (Books in the Freezer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

i couldn't put this down!

[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

[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/

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unlikely friendship blooms into a deadly encounter.

When a cat shows up at her door, the last thing Unnur expected was for it to lead her to a friend. Unnur doesn’t have friends. She focuses on her work and her relationship (albeit a bit one-sided). But the more she interacts with the woman, the more she finds herself growing to like her. But Unnur is not a fan of Ásta’s husband. He’s controlling and possessive.

Another fast paced read that can easily be read in one sitting. It’s short and guaranteed to hook you from the first page! If you like unhinged women, you’ll loved this book. As a huge fan of The Night Guest, I was so happy to get approved for this arc.

Special thanks to @tornightfire for the arc! Catch this book when it releases on May 26th!

[Fauwxx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although short, this novella will definitely keep you on your toes. The MC is intriguing from the first paragraph. The story feels cold and atmospheric, with psychological horror elements sprinkled throughout. I highly recommend giving this one a read!

Thank you to Tor Nightfire/NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of Dead Weight in exchange for my honest review. Expected Pub Date: May 26, 2026

[Sheena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick and easy read but nothing special. I had a feeling of where the story was going and it did go there so it wasn't anything shocking that happened. I did like the female friendship but the ending annoyed me a little bit.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!

[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

[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.

[Casey Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an extremely satisfying story if you're into feminine rage. I also appreciate the cats, and showing how healing and special cats can be for people. It's a short read that you can binge, but it packs a punch. It's about letting go of "dead weight"--that which no longer serves you. Breaking free, growth, female friendship. Not to mention.... I have actually thought about how I would dispose of a body.... Genuinely loved reading this!

Thank you to Tor Nightfire for the gifted ARC. Book releases 5/26/26.

[She’s Stranger Than Fiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a little snack that goes down like a whole ass meal! Unnur, a lonely woman with a distant boyfriend, comes home to find a cat. It isn’t her cat, but she becomes close to Ásta, the cat’s owner. Their friendship is tested, and they must each trust the other.
I loved this book. Each woman brings out the best in the other. There are lots of moving parts, so the novella is tightly constructed and well-written. It is published by Nightfire and is scheduled for release on May 26, 2026.

[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!

[Atlas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hildur Knúts klikkar ekki, ég vissi strax að ég myndi fíla þessa. Ég las hana í einum rykk og mæli sterklega með því að lesa hana þannig. Ég gjörsamlega elskaði Ástu og samband hennar við Edit og Gest, hún er svo hrein og falleg persóna sem á svo miklu betra skilið (og hún er líka bókmenntafræðingur). Ég var ekki alveg jafn hrifinn af Unni, ég hefði viljað að þráhyggja hennar hefði verið enn meiri og ýktari. Samband hennar með Ástu var samt æðislegt, mjög Thelma and Louise, svo sætt.
Hryllingurinn var smá 0 upp í 100, ég hefði viljað að hann væri aðeins meiri í allri sögunni, en þegar hann kom var hann æðislegur, 10/10.

[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]

Review in the April 2026 issue of Library Journal

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

Draft Review: Unnur is a successful business woman in Reykjavik. She lives alone but communicates with her boyfriend, when he can take her call. However, that normal facade is challenged in the intense, first person prologue, as readers are told Unnur has been preparing her whole life to dispose of a dead body without getting caught. As a result, every word in this taut novella is encased in dread, but readers are also hooked, unable to look away even as Unnur continues to reveal more about herself that should make them question their allegiance to her. One evening, Unnur comes home to an uninvited black cat making itself comfortable. After finding its owner, Ásta, a sweet but clearly troubled young woman, the two forge a friendship, one that gives them the strength to confront a monster. Will Unnur finally be able to put her skills to use? A tale thick with tension, where the horror of trauma can bog a person down, and if not cut loose, will keep them from fully living.

Verdict: For fans of the darkest stories, where readers actively root for the protagonist, even as they make violently shocking choices such as in Out by Natsuo Kirino and My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite.

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

[Lorin (paperbackbish) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Nightfire and Macmillan Audio for my free ARC of Dead Weight by Hildur Knútsdóttir — available May 26!

» READ IF YOU «
🐈‍⬛ believe in the cat distribution system
🧊 love your horror rooted in realism and subtlety
🩸 want a girl gang story that goes gloriously off the rails

» SYNOPSIS «
Unnur is living a perfectly structured, perfectly boring life in Reykjavík until a black cat shows up at her door. The heck? Looking for the cat's owner leads her straight to Ásta, a young woman in a weird situation, and Unnur feels compelled to help. Nothing tests a friendship like blood on your hands.

» REVIEW «
A cute little 160 page novella that I read in one sitting. I didn't even consider pausing. Mary Robinette Kowal is both translator and narrator for this book (as with The Night Guest), and she does a lovely job breathing life into the characters without distracting from how they and the writing are intended to be read.

Hildur Knútsdóttir has a wonderful talent for building pressure beneath a calm, concise surface—a theme I often find and love in Nordic works of fiction. Unnur is pretty curt and closed-off, and yet I felt so completely in touch with her and her inner world, it was almost eerie. The rage simmering underneath everything hit exactly when it needed to, and when things finally popped off, they were satisfying in a way that made me put my hand over my mouth.

The friendship between Unnur and Ásta is the real heart of the story for me—just like in real life, it's kind of awkward and tentative and then suddenly, it's everything. Knútsdóttir does so much with so few pages here, and even though I wanted more time with these two after the ending, I found it super satisfying. Truly, if you've got an hour or two free, here's your book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[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 💚

[Jennifer Leonard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well written work about a flawed woman whose obsession with dead body disposal finally pays off. The story itself was fine, but nothing amazing, and for me at least, the ending was obvious very quickly. Like the last I’d read by this author, I’m left wanting more, feeling like the length of this may have cheated what could have been a more in depth story and more fleshed out characters. We get a lot about things that don’t really serve the plot, and not quite enough leaning into how we really arrive at the culmination of the end.

[Ren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read through this in a day, I was so locked into it! Hildur writes compelling characters and sweeps you up into a story. I dare you to read the prologue and not finish it in a day as well.
The translation and audiobook narration were stellar. I hope more is coming from Hildur because I can’t wait to read it. I need more Icelandic horror.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the advanced listener copy.

[Karen Bullock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy violence and what a level up for storytelling in this second translated Icelandic horror story by an author who’s fast becoming a fan favorite!

Atmospheric and a slow burn psychological horror/thriller where two distinctly odd women become friends over the mysterious appearance of a black cat.
Black cats are notorious for invoking suspicion, magical capabilities and this story seems to conjure up those sentiments exactly.

False imagery and delusional thoughts on hetero relationships that have unfortunate dark occurrences, shocking solutions and…. WAIT! WHAT just happened?!

Superb!!

Thanks to TOR Nightfire for this mind blowing read

[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!

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from a Goodreads Giveaway. It was shorter than I expected and felt more like a short story or a part of some longer story. For what it was, it was an enjoyable read. It did suck me in and made me curious.

[rachel x]

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

oooh, intriguing