What do you think?
Rate this book
Tillinghast
A dark and utterly original literary horror debut, following a priest whose bloodthirsty life has extended far longer than any mere human's—and is upended when a stranger comes to town
Stutley Tillinghast lives a solitary life, ostensibly as the minister of a remote rural parish in Rhode Island. For many decades now, what little human contact he’s allowed himself has been brief, frenzied and bloody, and has always ended in a shallow grave in his cellar. There’s a name for what he is, but he prefers not to use it is simple enough that he has his needs, and that when they become unbearable, he fulfils them. In his long and lonely life, he has met only one other like him—the woman he still yearns for, the one who made him what he is.
Then a girl arrives, searching for him. She has his last name, and bears an uncanny resemblance to that woman, awakening memories Tillinghast had long suppressed; the connection he feels for her is immediate and overwhelming. She’s also sick, very sick, with symptoms Tillinghast recognizes all too well...and only he knows how to cure her.
Inspired by the real events of the New England vampire panic of the nineteenth century, Tillinghast is a novel to sink your teeth at once a gripping, atmospheric horror that turns the classic monster narrative on its head; a literary work of exceptional prose about giving into--or resisting--our impulses; and a remarkably moving father-daughter story that will leave you unexpectedly hopeful—and rooting, despite your every instinct, for the killers.
Stutley Tillinghast lives a solitary life, ostensibly as the minister of a remote rural parish in Rhode Island. For many decades now, what little human contact he’s allowed himself has been brief, frenzied and bloody, and has always ended in a shallow grave in his cellar. There’s a name for what he is, but he prefers not to use it is simple enough that he has his needs, and that when they become unbearable, he fulfils them. In his long and lonely life, he has met only one other like him—the woman he still yearns for, the one who made him what he is.
Then a girl arrives, searching for him. She has his last name, and bears an uncanny resemblance to that woman, awakening memories Tillinghast had long suppressed; the connection he feels for her is immediate and overwhelming. She’s also sick, very sick, with symptoms Tillinghast recognizes all too well...and only he knows how to cure her.
Inspired by the real events of the New England vampire panic of the nineteenth century, Tillinghast is a novel to sink your teeth at once a gripping, atmospheric horror that turns the classic monster narrative on its head; a literary work of exceptional prose about giving into--or resisting--our impulses; and a remarkably moving father-daughter story that will leave you unexpectedly hopeful—and rooting, despite your every instinct, for the killers.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published June 4, 2026
About the author
Clare Cavenagh
1 book60 followersClare Cavenagh spent her childhood in Erica, Australia, and her adolescence in Fribourg, Switzerland. She read English and then renaissance literature at the University of Cambridge, and now lives in London where she works as a copywriter. Her short fiction and criticism have been published in Editions L'Hèbe, Cambridge Quarterly and Eucalyptus Lit. Her first novel, TILLINGHAST, will be published in June 2026. She is currently working on her second novel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 238 reviews
June 27, 2026
A Man Called Ove if he was a vampire lolol
May 17, 2026
If you do not like character-driven plots, this book is not for you. Now that I have that out of the way, this book is a great work of literary horror. It has some gore, but it is not excessive. There is a little bit of medical horror and a moderate amount of body horror. There is a whole lot of personal existential horror, and loads of character growth. The titular character is very contemplative and complex.
Tillinghast is a 150 year-old vampire and a Christian minister with a heavy heart and a guilty conscience. He is not of the Dracula/Nosferatu variety. He is almost indistinguishable from everyone else - except for the powerful thirst for blood and a few other things. He is contemplating ending his life when a sick young woman comes into his care.
The book explores loneliness, morality, altruism, and underlying motivators. It delves into Tillinghast’s inner world as he interacts with others around him.
Highly recommended for those who like deep literary psychology.
Side note: I love Tillinghast the character’s writing voice. It is reminiscent of Mary Shelley or Emily Brontë - perfect for a vampire from the 19th century.
This is my honest opinion regarding this title, received as an ARC. My thanks to Clare Cavanagh, Viking Press, and NetGalley for this opportunity.
Tillinghast is a 150 year-old vampire and a Christian minister with a heavy heart and a guilty conscience. He is not of the Dracula/Nosferatu variety. He is almost indistinguishable from everyone else - except for the powerful thirst for blood and a few other things. He is contemplating ending his life when a sick young woman comes into his care.
The book explores loneliness, morality, altruism, and underlying motivators. It delves into Tillinghast’s inner world as he interacts with others around him.
Highly recommended for those who like deep literary psychology.
Side note: I love Tillinghast the character’s writing voice. It is reminiscent of Mary Shelley or Emily Brontë - perfect for a vampire from the 19th century.
This is my honest opinion regarding this title, received as an ARC. My thanks to Clare Cavanagh, Viking Press, and NetGalley for this opportunity.
March 15, 2026
"Tillinghast inhaled through his nose, mostly fuel, but a little bit of soft, vegetal dampness. He could feel the potential of the movement in his hand. The band was wound, the energy was stored up, energy in his hand, in the match head, in the gasoline puddles on the floor and the volatile fumes in the air. No more actions were needed. He just had to let go. It was as easy as anything."
2.5.
I wanted to like this book soooo freaking bad. There's a review about Pride and Prejudice that says it's just about people going to each other's houses, and that's kind of how this novel felt to me. Nothing really happens. It's just the protagonist going from place to place.
Tillinghast kills a man within the first couple of pages, and through his letters his vampirism is explored, but not in the moment. So much more could've been expanded on, though it simply wasn't. I wish Tillinghast's relationship with Sarah would've been explored more.
The prose was easy to read, though a bit bland. Everything flowed smoothly, and I had a nice experience reading it—I just wish quite literally anything interesting would've happened. My expectations were a bit high, and unfortunately they weren't met.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
2.5.
I wanted to like this book soooo freaking bad. There's a review about Pride and Prejudice that says it's just about people going to each other's houses, and that's kind of how this novel felt to me. Nothing really happens. It's just the protagonist going from place to place.
Tillinghast kills a man within the first couple of pages, and through his letters his vampirism is explored, but not in the moment. So much more could've been expanded on, though it simply wasn't. I wish Tillinghast's relationship with Sarah would've been explored more.
The prose was easy to read, though a bit bland. Everything flowed smoothly, and I had a nice experience reading it—I just wish quite literally anything interesting would've happened. My expectations were a bit high, and unfortunately they weren't met.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
May 12, 2026
I'm not someone who needs a lot of plot in my reading; I love a plotless character study way more than the next guy. But Tillinghast really put my patience to the test, unfortunately for no payoff. Stutley Tillinghast has been a vampire (though the novel refuses to use the word) for a long, long time, living by himself in his family home in New England and killing someone every 70 days or so to survive. Sarah, a young stranger, arrives in town with a note with Tillinghast's name on it, leaving both to put together the pieces of their connection and their affliction.
And... that's about it. There are countless pages of Tillinghast wondering around his house, sort of musing on things. At one point, Sarah goes missing, and there must be 20 pages of uneventful, pointless looking for her. There's no real life (pun intended) in any of these characters; I could frankly not have cared less about Tillinghast himself, making his book-long decision on whether or not to self-immolate simply boring, frankly. There are really no other characters than Tillinghast or Sarah, just a few townspeople and the characters in Tillinghast's origin story.
I don't think this book is doing anything new or different enough with the vampire story to recommend, unfortunately. Thanks to Viking and NetGalley for the advance ARC in exchange for my thoughts.
And... that's about it. There are countless pages of Tillinghast wondering around his house, sort of musing on things. At one point, Sarah goes missing, and there must be 20 pages of uneventful, pointless looking for her. There's no real life (pun intended) in any of these characters; I could frankly not have cared less about Tillinghast himself, making his book-long decision on whether or not to self-immolate simply boring, frankly. There are really no other characters than Tillinghast or Sarah, just a few townspeople and the characters in Tillinghast's origin story.
I don't think this book is doing anything new or different enough with the vampire story to recommend, unfortunately. Thanks to Viking and NetGalley for the advance ARC in exchange for my thoughts.
March 3, 2026
I assumed the stilted writing was due to translation issues, but nope, apparently it was an intentional choice. Huh.
DNF
ARC from netgalley
DNF
ARC from netgalley
July 11, 2026
“All things pass away, even as we watch.”
I enjoyed the real life historical information that was provided at the end of the book to explain the inspiration of this story.
Although this wasn’t my usual gory, or smut driven vampire novel, I enjoyed the overall journey of Tillinghast’s life and how he came to be. 🧛🏽♀️
There are parts of the story that have a gothic feel which I truly enjoyed. I loved the seance scenes and the opening of the casket descriptions⚰️.
I found Tillinghast to be a likable idiosyncratic character. There was still compassion in his heart and that made me feel sorry for him in a way. He didn’t choose what happened to him.
Readers who can appreciate a slow burn and character development stories will enjoy this one like me.
**Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review. **
I enjoyed the real life historical information that was provided at the end of the book to explain the inspiration of this story.
Although this wasn’t my usual gory, or smut driven vampire novel, I enjoyed the overall journey of Tillinghast’s life and how he came to be. 🧛🏽♀️
There are parts of the story that have a gothic feel which I truly enjoyed. I loved the seance scenes and the opening of the casket descriptions⚰️.
I found Tillinghast to be a likable idiosyncratic character. There was still compassion in his heart and that made me feel sorry for him in a way. He didn’t choose what happened to him.
Readers who can appreciate a slow burn and character development stories will enjoy this one like me.
**Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review. **
May 15, 2026
A refreshing take on the vampire genre, this was lovely to read. While this wasn’t full of blood and guts like certain novels, it was full of character. It was slow moving, with a lot of time spent exploring the past, but I really enjoyed that. The writing was all consuming, making it easy to fall into this story. A really great example of a character led story, with interesting elements of horror and real history blended throughout.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #Tillinghast #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #Tillinghast #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
July 24, 2026
this was a whole lotta nothing
March 23, 2026
3.5* really. An interesting take on a familiar theme just thought it took a long time to get where it was going.
August 1, 2026
Okay, so... this was not what I was expecting at all. And honestly, I don't think it was really for me.
I can appreciate what Clare was going for here.
It's a very different take on the vampire genre-dark, atmospheric, literary, and definitely more character focused
The premise had SO much potential for me. A centuries-old priest, a girl who suddenly shows up with his last name, a connection to the woman who made him what he is, and a whole lot of secrets, blood, and buried bodies? HELLO?? Sign me up- but at the same time it was just words. If that makes any sense
Stutley Tillinghast is a centuries old vampire hiding as a small town priest. When a mysterious girl arrives searching for him, carrying his last name and resembling the woman who turned him, everything begins to unravel. And she's sick very sick and Tillinghast may be the only one who can save her.
Inspired by the real-life New England vampire panic of the 19th century, this is a dark, atmospheric, and unconventional take on the vampire myth.
If you love slow, literary horror with gorgeous prose and a more introspective take on vampires, this might hit.
I can appreciate what Clare was going for here.
It's a very different take on the vampire genre-dark, atmospheric, literary, and definitely more character focused
The premise had SO much potential for me. A centuries-old priest, a girl who suddenly shows up with his last name, a connection to the woman who made him what he is, and a whole lot of secrets, blood, and buried bodies? HELLO?? Sign me up- but at the same time it was just words. If that makes any sense
Stutley Tillinghast is a centuries old vampire hiding as a small town priest. When a mysterious girl arrives searching for him, carrying his last name and resembling the woman who turned him, everything begins to unravel. And she's sick very sick and Tillinghast may be the only one who can save her.
Inspired by the real-life New England vampire panic of the 19th century, this is a dark, atmospheric, and unconventional take on the vampire myth.
If you love slow, literary horror with gorgeous prose and a more introspective take on vampires, this might hit.
July 4, 2026
Not at all what I expected from the blurb. I heard vampire and vicar and was ready to be ride or die. Unfortunately, we were not meant to be.
I found it to be very dry and rather clinical, I never felt particularly drawn into the story or what was happening. I felt like someone just looking in on something happening far away and never feeling engaged.
There's an awful lot of ambiguity about vampirism as a whole, if the word vampire wasn't right there in the summary on the GR page you'd be doing a lot of guessing as to what exactly Tillinghast happens to be most of the time. He has the immortality down but that's the end of the list for clean cut similarities.
He is fine in sunlight, doesn't have fangs to bite people to drink their blood, seems to have no issue with silver or consecrated ground and doesn't sleep during the day (or in a coffin if we're going very old school). There is a weird thing about having a fierce pain in the spine and symptoms of an illness of both him and Sarah almost as if it's something they were born with(?) and then ambiguity upon ambiguity when it comes to a possible interaction with a vampire that 'turns' him as close to as the typical way we understand it in vampire mythology.
I'm a bit baffled by the book overall but I'm sure it'll really appeal to other people, it just wasn't for me!
I found it to be very dry and rather clinical, I never felt particularly drawn into the story or what was happening. I felt like someone just looking in on something happening far away and never feeling engaged.
There's an awful lot of ambiguity about vampirism as a whole, if the word vampire wasn't right there in the summary on the GR page you'd be doing a lot of guessing as to what exactly Tillinghast happens to be most of the time. He has the immortality down but that's the end of the list for clean cut similarities.
He is fine in sunlight, doesn't have fangs to bite people to drink their blood, seems to have no issue with silver or consecrated ground and doesn't sleep during the day (or in a coffin if we're going very old school). There is a weird thing about having a fierce pain in the spine and symptoms of an illness of both him and Sarah almost as if it's something they were born with(?) and then ambiguity upon ambiguity when it comes to a possible interaction with a vampire that 'turns' him as close to as the typical way we understand it in vampire mythology.
I'm a bit baffled by the book overall but I'm sure it'll really appeal to other people, it just wasn't for me!
July 23, 2026
This is moving way too slow for me and I really am not at all invested in the MC, too many other books to read.
Currently Reading
March 23, 2026lol got an ARC of this but now i'm scared
July 23, 2026
Tillinghast’s struggle with the determinism of one’s natural supernatural state (i.e., a necessary consequence) and agency seemed customary. The idea of kinship bringing Tillinghast and Sarah together also felt familiar. But Cavenagh’s strength in her debut is portraying this tension and theme, respectively, with the late 1800s-style writing—perhaps one for the naturalist gothic genre, if that’s a thing.
I rate Tillinghast 2.5 stars.
I rate Tillinghast 2.5 stars.
Read
July 15, 2026I decided to DNF this book at 81% in. I want to say that I don’t think this is a bad book by any means, but definitely not the one for me.
This is a work of literary fiction that is extremely character driven, focusing on one man, Tillinghast. Tillinghast is a vampire who has lived a very secluded lifestyle, with the exception of his necessary outings, for well over a century.
There is an underlying plot of a sick woman showing up who turns out to be his daughter (this isn’t a spoiler, it’s in the synopsis) but that’s really as far as that branch extends. The majority of the book is Tillinghasts inner monologue as he recounts his previous kills.
If you want to read a lyrical character study with a gothic atmosphere, you may very well enjoy this book. If you like a clear defined plot, action, twists, or thrills, this probably isn’t the one for you.
This is a work of literary fiction that is extremely character driven, focusing on one man, Tillinghast. Tillinghast is a vampire who has lived a very secluded lifestyle, with the exception of his necessary outings, for well over a century.
There is an underlying plot of a sick woman showing up who turns out to be his daughter (this isn’t a spoiler, it’s in the synopsis) but that’s really as far as that branch extends. The majority of the book is Tillinghasts inner monologue as he recounts his previous kills.
If you want to read a lyrical character study with a gothic atmosphere, you may very well enjoy this book. If you like a clear defined plot, action, twists, or thrills, this probably isn’t the one for you.
June 30, 2026
Sometimes I wonder if, when reading other people’s bad reviews of a book I loved, I am in the wrong. This time, I am standing my ground. This was EXCEPTIONAL. Literary horror at its finest. Not overly gory or confronting, but just enough of each to make the character study of tillinghast much more interesting. I loved the way he was written, and how he wrote his confession throughout the book, so I was able to figure out what was happening as he told it. Honestly incredible
August 3, 2026
I can see how this wouldn’t appeal to some, as it is heavily character-driven and slower-paced, but I enjoyed it. To me, it was captivating and very quickly made me want to know more about the two main characters and their evolving relationship. My biggest issue with the book, however, was that I wanted to know more about the characters, but that was part of the point, as they’re left in the dark as we are. It doesn’t focus on the vampire elements in the ways commonly found. Instead, focuses on the isolation and the repercussions of this life. It felt original, and although I would’ve loved to read more about Lena’s life and past, it doesn’t feel incredibly necessary beyond my own curiosity or bring my opinion on the book down. Although it wasn’t what I was expecting, there’s a lot of potential in the story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 26, 2026
3.25 Stars Overall
A slow burn literary horror that focuses on the end of Tillinghast's extra long life that he has now decided has been long enough. Just as he's putting his affairs together, the result of another shows up in his small town and upends everything he thought he knew and must now look toward an unknown future.
This was an interesting character study and take on vampire lore, having been loosely based on the vampire panic of New England. It was a quick enough read yo capture my attention, but the ending ultimately fell flat for me. Recommended for vampire fans who lean more towards the literary aspect of Dracula rather than fans of the Sookie Stackhouse novels.
Thank you to NetGalley, Clare Cavenagh, and Penguin Viking for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
A slow burn literary horror that focuses on the end of Tillinghast's extra long life that he has now decided has been long enough. Just as he's putting his affairs together, the result of another shows up in his small town and upends everything he thought he knew and must now look toward an unknown future.
This was an interesting character study and take on vampire lore, having been loosely based on the vampire panic of New England. It was a quick enough read yo capture my attention, but the ending ultimately fell flat for me. Recommended for vampire fans who lean more towards the literary aspect of Dracula rather than fans of the Sookie Stackhouse novels.
Thank you to NetGalley, Clare Cavenagh, and Penguin Viking for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
Did Not Finish
July 9, 2026DNF 20%
I liked the opening couple of chapters, but I can tell this is going to be a "nothing really happens" type of book and I'm not interested in reading that. You really have to enjoy character-focused, literary fiction with a literal whisper of a speculative element to get along with this; and I think marketing it as horror is doing it a disservice.
Readers who enjoyed The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister may find more to appreciate about Tillinghast.
I liked the opening couple of chapters, but I can tell this is going to be a "nothing really happens" type of book and I'm not interested in reading that. You really have to enjoy character-focused, literary fiction with a literal whisper of a speculative element to get along with this; and I think marketing it as horror is doing it a disservice.
Readers who enjoyed The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister may find more to appreciate about Tillinghast.
July 27, 2026
3.5 // really enjoyed the writing style - I just wish Sarah had been more flashed out as a character. Their neglected relationship had a lot of potential. I am looking forward to reading more of this author though because their writing is impeccable.
July 4, 2026
This was tame as far as vampire stories go, and for the best. I found its perspective refreshingly quotidian, well-grounded in one of the eeriest historical phenomena to ever overtake New England.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Extremely well written, just a little boring for me
June 25, 2026
This was a book I picked mainly because of the stunning cover, to be honest. And for once, the cover actually lives up to the content - it is an amazingly written, tightly woven and compact story about characters both incredibly humane in their suffering and despicable in the harm they cause to others. I love how the reluctance and repression, maybe even resignation to such existance as is theirs, is felt in the writing style and word choices. Both Tillinghast and Sarah are characters that leave a lot to be thought about.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Did Not Finish
April 14, 2026read about 50% of this - and i still couldn’t really tell you what the plot was
June 25, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Apologies for being a little late but god damn this was fun. I love vampire novels that get a little weird with vampirism but are still 1000% vampires.
The pros: Fantastic vampire book without saying the word vampire, lmao. I love that this was inspired by a real-life phenomenon, and I hope to read more about it! As for the book itself, I do love Tillinghast, and I love the way we slowly learn about him as he writes his confession. I love Sarah and how much mystery surrounds her. I love the way vampirism works in this book, and while I am a lover of blood and gore and that is normally a staple in vampire media, it's very understated here in a very fun way. It's in 3rd person, but we're very much in Tillinghast's head with his views on how this all works. Relatedly, I love the religious guilt that blows so many normal things out of proportion for him, it's realistic and very fun to read. This novel is SLOWWWW but I never found myself uninterested. There is a lot of repetition of events because there are very few Large Scale Events happening, but it never got boring. The story of their lives and of their vampirism is a mystery for the readers, but not the characters, and I think the unveiling worked well.
The cons: While I didn't mind the overall tone/voice of the novel, I did find the dialogue to be pretty flat. It's not the end of the world, especially since there is so little dialogue, but there's more at the very end and it was definitely a little irritating, lol. Also, while I do stand by that I overall like it, there are a few times where some of the bits of repetition got on my nerves a little - specifically when Tillinghast decides to end a writing segment right on a cliffhanger. It just because pretty obvious what the author was doing there and I wasn't a huge fan, but I got over it. I was also confused about why some characters were in the story - namely the mother and her baby, and Sebastian. I just couldn't really see how they impacted the story or what purpose they were meant to serve.
Overall, fantastic. Finally, some good vampire media.
Apologies for being a little late but god damn this was fun. I love vampire novels that get a little weird with vampirism but are still 1000% vampires.
The pros: Fantastic vampire book without saying the word vampire, lmao. I love that this was inspired by a real-life phenomenon, and I hope to read more about it! As for the book itself, I do love Tillinghast, and I love the way we slowly learn about him as he writes his confession. I love Sarah and how much mystery surrounds her. I love the way vampirism works in this book, and while I am a lover of blood and gore and that is normally a staple in vampire media, it's very understated here in a very fun way. It's in 3rd person, but we're very much in Tillinghast's head with his views on how this all works. Relatedly, I love the religious guilt that blows so many normal things out of proportion for him, it's realistic and very fun to read. This novel is SLOWWWW but I never found myself uninterested. There is a lot of repetition of events because there are very few Large Scale Events happening, but it never got boring. The story of their lives and of their vampirism is a mystery for the readers, but not the characters, and I think the unveiling worked well.
The cons: While I didn't mind the overall tone/voice of the novel, I did find the dialogue to be pretty flat. It's not the end of the world, especially since there is so little dialogue, but there's more at the very end and it was definitely a little irritating, lol. Also, while I do stand by that I overall like it, there are a few times where some of the bits of repetition got on my nerves a little - specifically when Tillinghast decides to end a writing segment right on a cliffhanger. It just because pretty obvious what the author was doing there and I wasn't a huge fan, but I got over it. I was also confused about why some characters were in the story - namely the mother and her baby, and Sebastian. I just couldn't really see how they impacted the story or what purpose they were meant to serve.
Overall, fantastic. Finally, some good vampire media.
July 2, 2026
In Tillinghast we follow Reverend Stutley Tillinghast as he navigates his life’s ethics and morals as a killer. Yet he isn’t your typical serial killer. His life sustenance demands blood otherwise death will soon follow. He despises what he is and wishes his life were different.
Then a young woman emerges destabilizing the solitude Tillinghast has come to know well. Her name is Sarah Tillinghast. He is befuddled that she shares his last name and soon the journey to figuring out who she is to him unfolds.
While this book is unique in the sense that it takes the usual fantastical vampire narrative and makes it a more realistic tale. Consumption and vampirism went hand in hand during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The author utilized this phenomenon to build an emotional story.
While I enjoyed this book, I wanted there to be more action or plot to follow. I think the premise is a great concept yet I wanted more details and a more comprehensive conclusion. This book is ambiguous and leaves much uncovered and up to the reader’s interpretation.
I love a vampire tale yet this one was a bit different than I’m used to. I would recommend this for anyone looking for an emotional gothic horror story.
Thank you to @netgalley and @vikingbooks for the arc!
Then a young woman emerges destabilizing the solitude Tillinghast has come to know well. Her name is Sarah Tillinghast. He is befuddled that she shares his last name and soon the journey to figuring out who she is to him unfolds.
While this book is unique in the sense that it takes the usual fantastical vampire narrative and makes it a more realistic tale. Consumption and vampirism went hand in hand during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The author utilized this phenomenon to build an emotional story.
While I enjoyed this book, I wanted there to be more action or plot to follow. I think the premise is a great concept yet I wanted more details and a more comprehensive conclusion. This book is ambiguous and leaves much uncovered and up to the reader’s interpretation.
I love a vampire tale yet this one was a bit different than I’m used to. I would recommend this for anyone looking for an emotional gothic horror story.
Thank you to @netgalley and @vikingbooks for the arc!
July 5, 2026
Tillinghast is an explorative and instropextive look into the vampiric experience that not many books offer up right away. While it’s reminiscent in the realms of Thirst by Maria Y and Anne Rice’s “Interview with the Vampire,” based on pacing, it still delivers in shocking depth about the human experience and our desire to not be alone.
Stutley Tillinghast is a priest who’d return after some time to his family home and church. None of it is open. It’s all just a rouse to make himself appear human; secluded, but just enough interaction to never raise suspicion.
He’s starting to come to this realization that he no longer wants to live. What he’s been carrying with him since his rebirth; the feedings, the unaliving individuals and pretending to be something other than what he is a crushing weight of solitude Tillinghast can’t remove. He’s set on doing it until a young woman arrives at his door who knows of him and may just share the same affliction as him.
Tillinghast is deeply introspective in the sense that loneliness, in any fashion, can be an all consuming ache that can lead anyone to make unimaginable, life-changing choices but how one spark of hope - of someone acknowledging our existence - can save a life. Even an undead one.
Claire weaves a story of remembrance, longing, and new found hope into a genre that is drenched in thousands of renderings and stands originally on its own.
Stutley Tillinghast is a priest who’d return after some time to his family home and church. None of it is open. It’s all just a rouse to make himself appear human; secluded, but just enough interaction to never raise suspicion.
He’s starting to come to this realization that he no longer wants to live. What he’s been carrying with him since his rebirth; the feedings, the unaliving individuals and pretending to be something other than what he is a crushing weight of solitude Tillinghast can’t remove. He’s set on doing it until a young woman arrives at his door who knows of him and may just share the same affliction as him.
Tillinghast is deeply introspective in the sense that loneliness, in any fashion, can be an all consuming ache that can lead anyone to make unimaginable, life-changing choices but how one spark of hope - of someone acknowledging our existence - can save a life. Even an undead one.
Claire weaves a story of remembrance, longing, and new found hope into a genre that is drenched in thousands of renderings and stands originally on its own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2026
rhode island mentioned!! i was always going to read tillinghast just for the thrill of reading a location name and knowing exactly what they're talking about, but i enjoyed this debut even without factoring in local pride or whatever.
i guess i should say that if you're looking for a fast-paced classic vampire story, this is not going to give you what you want. tillinghast is literary horror with a strong emphasis on the literary. it's existential and subdued and SLOW, and while the descriptions of the gore and body horror are visceral, they're almost matter-of fact. to be clear it is also creepy, but in the way that a walk in the woods on a cold, damp, grey afternoon can be.
as far as the vampire of it all, the word "vampire" is never used (even a copy of dracula is described but never named), and it's only confirmed in the author's note where you learn that the novel was inspired by the vampire panic that swept through new england in the nineteenth century. in tillinghast, vampirism is so interwoven with sickness (i mean consumption/tb was a huge part of the vampire panic so of course), and reading about the experience almost felt like reading an account of chronic illness. it's all very embodied. i found cagenaugh's version of vampirism original and compelling, but hey some people crave the tropes and that's fine!
i love that, in a fucked up way, this can be categorized as a heartwarming father-daughter story. tillinghast is oddly endearing! just a well-meaning, methodical, spiritually tortured guy who happens to also technically be a serial killer who consumes the blood of his victims. when sarah is brought into his life, he immediately does his best to protect her (from the world, but also from himself and their shared fate) and guide her through a traumatic experience. sarah's perspective, when we got it, helped flesh out the narrative and give us a better understanding of her and ultimately, lena and stutley too.
anyway time to go look into this vampire panic!
i guess i should say that if you're looking for a fast-paced classic vampire story, this is not going to give you what you want. tillinghast is literary horror with a strong emphasis on the literary. it's existential and subdued and SLOW, and while the descriptions of the gore and body horror are visceral, they're almost matter-of fact. to be clear it is also creepy, but in the way that a walk in the woods on a cold, damp, grey afternoon can be.
as far as the vampire of it all, the word "vampire" is never used (even a copy of dracula is described but never named), and it's only confirmed in the author's note where you learn that the novel was inspired by the vampire panic that swept through new england in the nineteenth century. in tillinghast, vampirism is so interwoven with sickness (i mean consumption/tb was a huge part of the vampire panic so of course), and reading about the experience almost felt like reading an account of chronic illness. it's all very embodied. i found cagenaugh's version of vampirism original and compelling, but hey some people crave the tropes and that's fine!
i love that, in a fucked up way, this can be categorized as a heartwarming father-daughter story. tillinghast is oddly endearing! just a well-meaning, methodical, spiritually tortured guy who happens to also technically be a serial killer who consumes the blood of his victims. when sarah is brought into his life, he immediately does his best to protect her (from the world, but also from himself and their shared fate) and guide her through a traumatic experience. sarah's perspective, when we got it, helped flesh out the narrative and give us a better understanding of her and ultimately, lena and stutley too.
anyway time to go look into this vampire panic!
July 28, 2026
Tillinghast is a novel filled with quiet dread. A dread that seeps into the mind, leaving a stain even at its end. I have thought about this book long after finishing, its strange story and wonderful words marked in my head. This is a unique and eerie take on vampirism, and I very much enjoyed reading it.
Tillinghast is a minister who no longer practices. Yet, he practices a different sort of religion. One that keeps him satiated and alive, for Tillinghast has been around for quite some time, feeding off the blo@d of others. Alone in his dilapidated family home, near his church, and on the outskirts of a small town in Rhode Island, Tillinghast debates putting an end to his life. He begins to list his victims in ink, penning the story of his life, when a stranger arrives, carrying his surname and resembling the strange woman who made him the way he is. But this stranger is sick, like him, and it is up to Tillinghast to save her.
This novel is based on the New England vampire pandemic in the 1800's, and details the mayhem that occured at a time when civilians actually believed that tuberculosis was caused by the de@d. I feel it's difficult to write a vampire tale that hasn't been done before, and Tillinghast is a strange and original story unlike any I've read before.
Tillinghast is a minister who no longer practices. Yet, he practices a different sort of religion. One that keeps him satiated and alive, for Tillinghast has been around for quite some time, feeding off the blo@d of others. Alone in his dilapidated family home, near his church, and on the outskirts of a small town in Rhode Island, Tillinghast debates putting an end to his life. He begins to list his victims in ink, penning the story of his life, when a stranger arrives, carrying his surname and resembling the strange woman who made him the way he is. But this stranger is sick, like him, and it is up to Tillinghast to save her.
This novel is based on the New England vampire pandemic in the 1800's, and details the mayhem that occured at a time when civilians actually believed that tuberculosis was caused by the de@d. I feel it's difficult to write a vampire tale that hasn't been done before, and Tillinghast is a strange and original story unlike any I've read before.
Did Not Finish
June 20, 2026Dnfing at 65 percent. I am very sad as the premise sounded up my ally. It had a strong beginning for me but I found the pacing and character development to be pretty tough. I wanted to learn more about them both but what we were getting just didn’t lead me to get to know them better or get more invested. I feel like the “confession” sections weren’t all that interesting to me either. Since I didn’t care about the character and this is a low plot book (which I can absolutely enjoy) I decided not to finish so no rating on good reads.
I received an arc of this book from NetGalley. And am writing this review honestly and voluntarily
I received an arc of this book from NetGalley. And am writing this review honestly and voluntarily
Displaying 1 - 30 of 238 reviews