Resurrection

Rapture Publishing Chapbooks #7

by Jess Hagemann, Chris Panatier (Illustrator)

After the family pet dies at a border patrol checkpoint, Scott and Amber MacGee will stop at nothing to bring him back. But what is Scott hiding—from Amber, the journalist covering their story, and all of humankind?

Genres: Horror

Unknown Binding

Published September 9, 2025

About the author

Jess Hagemann’s debut novel Headcheese won a 2019 IPPY Award in Horror. Her sophomore novel Mother-Eating was named a “Most-Anticipated Horror Book of 2025” by Paste Magazine and made Bloody Disgusting’s list of Best Horror Books of 2025. That same year, Rapture Publishing issued a standalone chapbook of her short story “Resurrection.” In 2026, she will be novelizing a movie for Encyclopocalypse Publications. Jess received her MFA from the Jack Kerouac School, and is the former recipient of a teaching fellowship at McNeese State University and a writing residency at Dear Butte. She lives in Austin.

More at www.jesshagemann.com.

Reviews

[unstable.books · Rating 5 out of 5]

*review to come but omgggggg

[ScarlettAnomalyReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, thanks to my Rapture addiction I was lucky enough to run into Jess' work Ressurection lead me to finding out about Mother-Eating which let me telling you horror historical fiction at its finest.

The death of your pet can be hard, but what would you do to bring them back?

I went into this thinking, this is going to be a sad one and oh it was, but the way it twisted I was hugely not prepared for and had made me a solid Hagemann fan, once again Rapture spotlighting a new to me author 👌✨.

This starts out as a simple story that Jacob needs to get done over Mac Macgee, nothing crazy, but the way Jacob talks, you can tell he is absolutely not happy about it.

What journalist wants to do cutesy pieces in animals? Well Kolchak Jr here is about to find out the hard way.

But the story is something completely different, not just another family road trip with their dog, but something more sinister and dark.

I do not like Scott right off the rip and I think you'll see why when you read this. But everyone piled up in the car crawling slowly across the boarder in the heat, he's prob extra awful, poor everyone else. He did not deserve Max's loyalty.

Hitting the border Scott is boiling over literally nothing and ends up triggering a search, which causes Mac to attack the patrol guard, I'll let you imagine what happens next.

It was rough..

But I also appreciated how the story flipped from past to present, breaking up those heavy scenes and making you wonder what lead to thst point, how?

Pg. 12 and my Agatha Christie alarm sounded and I knew, oh I knew, this was shifting in a direction I didnt expect at all, oh my godSo, thanks to my Rapture addiction I was lucky enough to run into Jess' work Ressurection lead me to finding out about Mother-Eating which let me telling you horror historical fiction at its finest.

The death of your pet can be hard, but what would you do to bring them back?

I'm still trying to get over the end of this, it was wild and well done and got me in the gut, I really thought well I won't say what I thought, but everyone needs to read this.

I cannot wait for my best Hagemann read.

I'm still trying to get over the end of this, it was wild and well done and got me in the gut, I really thought well I won't say what I thought, but everyone needs to read this.

I cannot wait for my best Hagemann read.

[Matt M · Rating 5 out of 5]

🐕 CHAPBOOK REVIEW 🐕

Synopsis: “After the family pet dies at a border patrol checkpoint, Scott and Amber MacGee will stop at nothing to bring him back. But what is Scott hiding—from Amber, the journalist covering their story, and all of humankind?”

I loved this short story! I can’t believe this is my first time reading anything by Hagemann. This story, initially heartwarming and sad, turns sinister in a way I was not expecting. It is so well done, as are the illustrations by Chris Panatier.

Thanks so much to Rapture Publishing for sending me an ARC!

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Science and religion, so long at odds, would seem to have found in her lab holy communion "

A short and powerful story that makes you think about what direction modern science & medicine could ultimately embark on.

The art work in this book, done by Chris Panatier is excellent.

The story is spot on terrifying in the boundaries it exceeds which leaves you with the question "what if?"

A short powerful read!

[Nick Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although a bit predictable, it hit emotionally and was well written. My first read from Hagemann and it definitely wont be my last.

[Jenna A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short horror story encompassing powerful messages of loss, grief, and hope.

[Marguerite Turley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story knocked the wind out of me, I definitely wasn’t ready for it. Rapture is consistently putting out incredibly gorgeous chapbooks with some of my favorite stories. This one is no exception. From the stunning cover done by Chris Panatier, I knew this was going to be a good one. Jess Hagemann blew me away and left me shell shocked by the end. An incredibly frightening story about how far we’d go to bring our pets back, and how it never goes the way we want it to. I’m definitely intrigued by this author, she pulls no punches that’s for sure!