City Hall

by Bentley Little

Paul Wardlow couldn't be happier after landing his job as an administrative assistant at Arovista city hall. The pay is good, the benefits are great, and he has the opportunity to finally help put some good out into the world. It seems like a dream.

But all is not well in city hall, and it hasn’t been for some time.

Doors open up on hallways that are not listed on any layout. Employees attend meetings and return changed. Strange men come and go, with no record of them being employed there--or even of being alive.

And then there are the whispered rumors of the Corp Yard, where no one is ever seen entering and no one is ever seen leaving, but screams are still heard.

Arovista's local government is preparing for changes. Big changes. For a new plan. A new future. And it will not tolerate interference.

As the saying goes… you can't fight City Hall.

CITY HALL is Bentley Little in his element, a scathing plunge into violence and madness and small scale government that only he could deliver.

Genres: Horror

440 pages, Hardcover

Published November 1, 2025

About the author

Bentley Little is an American author of horror fiction. Publishing an average of a novel a year since 1990, Little avoids publicity and rarely does promotional work or interviews for his writing.

Reviews

[Tracy P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

If only the ending didn't leave me a bit confused this would have easily been a solid 5-stars.
Thank you for yet another riotous and horrifying read, Mr. Bentley.

[Dylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can’t fight City Hall. Especially when everyone in charge is a psychotic lunatic and the people who work there are barbarically cruel. You will be sent on a wild goose chase through never-ending halls and corridors past countless offices with long names that mean nothing, and when you finally arrive at your destination, it’s the wrong one. It’s a nightmare and there is something very terrible and otherworldly going on here too; rooms, elevators, and floors that were here one day aren’t here the next, nothing seems the same, and if you need assistance or have a complaint, get a number and stand in line—it’s going to be a long one.

This reminded me of the last time I was at the DMV! He is one of my favorite authors; while I do not love all of his books, his exceptional pieces are truly outstanding. It wasn’t just about City Hall and all the bureaucratic red tape you have to go through; there were some bizarre and very horrific moments in here, splashed with very dark humor too. The subplots did not always work for me, but the core story of City Hall being this foreboding, haunted place, which sounds completely ridiculous, really worked once I started reading this and it was quite a read.

[Irene Well Worth A Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do people choose to work at City Hall or does the city choose them?

Paul Wardlow had been job hunting for a while and was excited to land an interview at City Hall. After the unpleasant turn his interview took, he never expected to be hired. He would have been better off had he never applied.

Gavin Barre wants to make some positive changes and decides to run for City Council. Little does he know who holds the real power in Arovista.

Janis Kaminsky had been retired from City Hall for 2 years when she was asked to return. She ignored her hazy memories of something being not quite right in her previous years working there. Those half-remembered feelings about the basement might have only been nightmares. Having escaped once and lived to retire, she should never have gone back.

What begins as just another ordinary situation spirals into the bizarre and frightening. Some of the characters are already deeply under the city's influence, leaving very few normal people to notice or care what is happening. Are they any match for the power of the city? Or as they go along to get along will they lose that small voice of conscience that tells them what they are witnessing is wrong? Bentley Little's City Hall reads like a darkly comedic fever dream of satire and horror where the bizarre becomes the new normal and I loved it.

My thanks to Cemetery Dance Publications for the ARC.

[Paul Flint · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely one of my new favorite Bentley Little book, full of scares and surprises. A masterpiece in horror writing. I don’t want to give away spoilers it’s best to go in blind to this one. An exceptional read, had me captivated as the story got more intense over each new page. Well done Bentley, you hit this out of the park. A full 5 star read, and one I will read again when I get the physical copy. Really great, recommend to all horror fans, you certainly won’t be disappointed. Loved it

[Mase & Taylor Reutman · Rating 5 out of 5]

BENTLEY LITTLE HIT IT OUT OF THE FREAKING PARK AGAIN!!!!

First, thanks so much Cemetery Dance for the ARC. This was insanely good and reaffirms Little’s spot as my favorite horror writer of all time.

Quick Reasons to Read:
1. Little’s firebrand political commentary.
2. The hilarious satire.
3. The pulse-pounding moments of pure terror he orchestrates.
4. Jaw-dropping situations such as street cleaners that suck up pets, bloody basements, elevators that take you to floors that don’t exist, and so much more.
5. Cities that go to war with each other with secret armies.

This is a multiple POV novel written from the POV of
1. Paul Wardlow, a recent college graduate whose first job is as the “Assistant to the Assistant City Manager”.
2. Gavin Barre, an adjunct poli-sci professor who is running for city council.
3. Janice Kaminsky, a 60-something retiree from City Hall that is now called back to temp in some spots with city hall.

This book was SCARY. I mean if you love horror, this one has so many absolutely frightening moments, you will freaking love this.

We’re talking monsters, torture, public punishments, creepy monsters that might eat your feet roaming city hall, employees that become obsessed with doing whatever it takes for “The City” to be pleased.

Paul finds himself in a job where you don’t ever get to quit, and you may accidentally agree to perform dark rituals as part of your work.

Gavin finds out that being on the city council comes with big responsibilities, including voting how you are told by the powers that be, otherwise incorporeal shadow monsters right kill you in a dark parking lot.

Janice Kominsky learns that she lives and breathes to serve the city in anyway needed.

READ THIS BOOK!! IT IS SO GOOD. Little is an underrated genius in the world of horror and you won’t regret it.

FIVE STARS

[Anthony O'Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is an undeniable truth that I will continue to read every book that Bentley Little ever writes (for as long as I stay clear of the bone yard anyway). So, it's no surprise that I've read City Hall.

Was is surprising is how restrained and understated this one is, and it's for the better in this case.

City Hall is the story of a sinister (haunted?) city hall that causes the usual Little-esque insanity, nightmarish imagery and creepy weirdos you expect from his novels. However the character work is a little more deft here, the climax a little more subtle and the overall themes of the work (conforming to social norms, governmental overreach, the absurdity of bureaucracy) are rendered all the more effectively.

There's still plenty of weird shit, mind you, and Lynchian dread but it's done with a lighter touch. Less of his 80s and 90s nastiness here and more genuine mood building and creepiness. Good stuff, Bentley.

[Brian M · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well done horror/satire novel by Little, poking fun at ineffectual and compromised local government. Basically a horror version of the show Parks and Recreation. A well done narrative structure carries the novel. Little generally toys with multiple viewpoints, and he really struck a nice balance here between the two main perspectives, the one side perspective, and the countless vignettes that add depth to the story. And of course the off the wall dark and funny moments I’ve come to expect from his writing.

[Thomas Hobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Bentley Little's unique writing style. No one writes like him and I'm glad. This book or story was worth the read!

[DJMikeG · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wonder if Bentley Little is a Tenacious D fan. After all, the D have a song called City Hall on their classic self titled debut album. The song concerns "the bastards of City Hall" and how they are "f#%#in' it up for the people that's in the streets", precisely what this book is about.
I am a big fan of Little's, I've read many of his novels, and my favorite ones are his "satirical" novels. Where he picks apart institutions and practices in the real world, using horror. Books like The Association, The Store and The Consultant work really well, because he describes a very believable world to start with, then slowly but surely things start getting weird until they boil over into flat out horror and mayhem. When it doesn't quite work as well, in books like this one and University and The Vanishing, it's kind of just all over the place and chaotic. This one is crazy and bizarre almost right from the beginning, and it reads almost like an anthology with all the varied instances of weirdness happening all over the town of Arovista, CA.
I think the reason this book doesn't rank with Little's best, for me at least, is because it needed some editing. This is a big, fat book that veers all over the place. It is hard to get too invested in any of the many characters, again, because the execution is so scattershot. I think some streamlining would have helped this book overall.
All that said, reading this book in late 2025 made some of Little's commentary on the corrupting influence of political power hit pretty dang hard, what with all of the turmoil we are seeing in the real world right now. I did find some of his political commentary here a tad ham-fisted, however. Overall not the best novel I've read by Little, but also not the worst.
I wonder if Bentley Little is a James McMurtry fan, as well. There is a character in this book named Iolanthe, which I have never heard outside of McMurtry's excellent song of the same name.

[Scott Lovelace · Rating 5 out of 5]

No one really likes going to city hall, you are generally making a required payment (taxes, fees, etc). Arovista city hall is no different but worse. Creatures that simply show up in meetings and restrooms, uber rude staff, hallways that may or may not be there. City Hall even turns sweet old retirees into evil beings. Bentley Little has crafted a super creepy and darkly atmospheric tale. Very fun book to read.

[Leslie McIntyre · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG……….

I would love to sit down with Bentley Little so I can pick his brain. His thinking is so macabre and twisted. I was hoping for a positive ending but it seems like the few rebels got sucked into the fanfare of the city and its reinvention. Regardless, I enjoyed it and can’t wait for BL’s next offering.

[Angela Occhino · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

[Suwanee Koski · Rating 1 out of 5]

same old same old

many of his books seem very similar to each other but happen in different towns. i was hoping for something more exciting and interesting.