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I Know a Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours
The first collection from USA Today bestselling author Nat Cassidy, featuring his unique blend of gleefully terrifying short fiction.
There are locations in this world where the light doesn’t seem to reach. Where, no matter how illuminated the place might be, shadows creep in too strongly to fight back.
A suspiciously empty gas station rest stop in the middle of the night, littered with googley eyes... A doctor’s office, where a bottle of booze and a tear-stained folder wait on the desk... A tech millionaire’s haunted kitchen... A Bible-quoting ventriloquist’s dingy apartment... A yoga retreat in the middle of the desert, silent except for the screaming...
These locations and more are your destination and bestselling author Nat Cassidy will be your guide. Featuring the Bram Stoker Award-nominated, critically acclaimed novella Rest Stop (one of Esquire’s Best Horror Books of 2024), along with a number of other original short stories, some which have never been published before, I Know A Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours is a travelogue down twisting side streets and through alleyways where the darkness has eyes... and teeth.
There are locations in this world where the light doesn’t seem to reach. Where, no matter how illuminated the place might be, shadows creep in too strongly to fight back.
A suspiciously empty gas station rest stop in the middle of the night, littered with googley eyes... A doctor’s office, where a bottle of booze and a tear-stained folder wait on the desk... A tech millionaire’s haunted kitchen... A Bible-quoting ventriloquist’s dingy apartment... A yoga retreat in the middle of the desert, silent except for the screaming...
These locations and more are your destination and bestselling author Nat Cassidy will be your guide. Featuring the Bram Stoker Award-nominated, critically acclaimed novella Rest Stop (one of Esquire’s Best Horror Books of 2024), along with a number of other original short stories, some which have never been published before, I Know A Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours is a travelogue down twisting side streets and through alleyways where the darkness has eyes... and teeth.
428 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2026
198 people are currently reading
9142 people want to read
About the author
Nat Cassidy
21 books5,423 followersNAT CASSIDY is a national bestselling and Bram Stoker Award-nominated author whose acclaimed works include Mary ("One of the Best Horror Novels of All Time" - Audible), Nestlings, and Rest Stop. Esquire described him as one "of the best horror writers of this generation" and among the writers "shaping horror's next golden age." His award-winning plays have been produced across the country, including Off-Broadway and the Kennedy Center. You've also maybe seen Nat guest-starring on shows such as Law & Order: SVU, Blue Bloods, Bull, Quantico, FBI, and many others ... but that's a topic for a different bio. His newest novel, When the Wolf Comes Home, hit shelves in April 2025 and was called "a classic" by Stephen King. He lives in New York City with his wife.
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Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
— 1/ 5 stars
Okay, so I went into this book expecting a solid mix of thriller and horror, you know, something intense, something that would actually feel creepy, especially because it’s written by Nat Cassidy. I absolutely loved his previous book, like genuinely had such a fun time with it. I remember finishing it in a couple of days and being completely hooked, so obviously my expectations for this one were pretty high. And when I got the ARC, I was so excited. I couldn’t wait to dive in.
But somehow… this just didn’t hit the same. Not even close.
From the very beginning, something felt off. It’s weird because I kept procrastinating reading it, like my gut was telling me to hold off, but I ignored it and jumped in anyway. And wow it took me almost an entire month to finish a book that’s barely around 250 pages. For someone who can easily finish that in a day or two, that says a lot. It just felt like such a drag.
I genuinely don’t know how you make horror feel this boring, but it happened. The book is a collection of novellas, and honestly, that might’ve been part of the problem. Each story felt disconnected, and there wasn’t enough to keep me invested throughout. The first novella, Rest Stop was actually really good. I was like, okay, maybe this is going to be great after all. But after that? It just kept going downhill.
And I mean downhill. Like, every story felt weaker than the last. It honestly felt like watching a graph slowly decline until you’re just sitting there, annoyed, waiting for it to be over. By the end, I wasn’t even curious anymore, I was just frustrated and lowkey pissed because I wanted to love it so badly.
This one just didn’t work for me at all, which sucks even more because I know what the author is capable of.
— Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Okay, so I went into this book expecting a solid mix of thriller and horror, you know, something intense, something that would actually feel creepy, especially because it’s written by Nat Cassidy. I absolutely loved his previous book, like genuinely had such a fun time with it. I remember finishing it in a couple of days and being completely hooked, so obviously my expectations for this one were pretty high. And when I got the ARC, I was so excited. I couldn’t wait to dive in.
But somehow… this just didn’t hit the same. Not even close.
From the very beginning, something felt off. It’s weird because I kept procrastinating reading it, like my gut was telling me to hold off, but I ignored it and jumped in anyway. And wow it took me almost an entire month to finish a book that’s barely around 250 pages. For someone who can easily finish that in a day or two, that says a lot. It just felt like such a drag.
I genuinely don’t know how you make horror feel this boring, but it happened. The book is a collection of novellas, and honestly, that might’ve been part of the problem. Each story felt disconnected, and there wasn’t enough to keep me invested throughout. The first novella, Rest Stop was actually really good. I was like, okay, maybe this is going to be great after all. But after that? It just kept going downhill.
And I mean downhill. Like, every story felt weaker than the last. It honestly felt like watching a graph slowly decline until you’re just sitting there, annoyed, waiting for it to be over. By the end, I wasn’t even curious anymore, I was just frustrated and lowkey pissed because I wanted to love it so badly.
This one just didn’t work for me at all, which sucks even more because I know what the author is capable of.
— Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
2025 was the year I turned into a Nat Cassidy fangirl, so naturally I was beyond thrilled about receiving this ARC! And it turned out to be a very solid collection of shorter fiction that allowed me to get a good impression of the author's range and often-used themes. There is one novella (Rest Stop) and 12 short stories collected in here and, after clicking around on Goodreads, I think that about half of them have been published before. But I'm glad that everything is in one place now, because let's be real, I would have never picked everything up on its own. I ended up liking most of the stories, but at the same time none of them were super outstanding to me. And a select few either went over my head or just weren't my thing because of the themes that were included. I will write a little something about every story, so if you'd rather not know anything, stop reading here. Just know that I would recommend it to fans of the author, but not necessarily as an entry point to his works. I think a full-length novel is more suitable for that. At least that was the experience that I had.
Rest Stop – I must admit that I've read this one before and that I wasn't really a fan. But now that I know that Nat Cassidy is not the Dudebro author that I once thought him to be (I'm sorry, Sir), I dutifully read it again. And honestly, I kinda see the vision now. It's about a musician on the road, pulling into a gas station and having the absolute worst night imaginable there. It's such a fever dream of spiders and snakes and intense gore and googly eyes, and I'm not surprised that I was overwhelmed the first time I read this novella. I appreciated it a lot more this time around and I especially thought the (psycho) religious theme to be very interesting.
Meet-Cute #1: The Unluckiest Girl – More of a short interlude in my opinion, about a man and a woman meeting in a bar and complaining about how awful the world is. The twist was clear once a name was mentioned and it was up to the reader to imagine how unlucky that girl really got that night. It was pretty underwhelming for being the story that the I Know A Place part of the collection title refers to.
Generation – An interesting one with a cool concept. About a gynecologist who has to deal with a fundamental change in pregnancies. I liked that it stayed kinda vague and calm instead of leaning into the horror side of it.
Nice – An unexpected Christmas story. Focuses on a six-year-old boy who is lowkey unhealthily obsessed with Christmas and Santa Clause. But once he is visited by an elf who hates his job, the boy changes his mind and behavior. It started out fun and then turned into a disturbing story with creepy children and Christmas gore. As the title suggests, it was nice. :D
The Art of What You Want – Another disturbing story about a haunting taking an unexpected turn. I liked it for the amount of unhinged people that were included in here.
The Lunar Eclipse – I would love to tell you what this was about, but I didn't get it. It wasn't a horror story and was told in a strange way.
Laughlines – My favorite story of the collection! I could have done without the email format, but it was a nice change of pace. It was about a young woman traveling to the English countryside after learning about her estranged father and his side of the family. She's exploring a remote village and an old castle, and I don't know what it was, but I was somehow super invested in the creepy medieval castle lore. If Nat Cassidy ever decides to write a medieval horror novel, I would be so here for it. On the downside there was a random Harry Potter reference in here (come on, Mr. Cassidy!), and I'm pretty sure that the use of emojis made my kindle crash. (It has recovered now.)
Run For Your Life – This probably is a story that is close to Nat Cassidy's heart, because he poured a huge amount of music knowledge into it. Unfortunately, I really can't stand musical themes in books. They are just completely lost on me. I think the story has the potential to be people's favorite, but it really wasn't for me.
Jubilee Juncture – I personally think that ventriloquists are already kinda creepy on a good day, but this story takes the profession to the next level, in a bad way. It's about a man visiting his sketchy coworker and his creepy doll, and it was very gross and therefore one of the best stories of the collection.
Come – Who would have thought that the cursed sex tape high school story would be one of my favorites? It was wacky and kind of stupid, but I was living, laughing, loving. And there was asexual rep which even tied into the plot. It's a yes from me.
Into The Life Of Things – Two very annoying detectives are called to a hospital where a woman was killed. They talk to a nurse and learn about the woman's history, which includes a yoga cult and psychic powers. It was not my favorite, but it was fine. I think the dual timeline thing was kind of unnecessary.
Meet-Cute #2: The Scariest Thing - Another story about a man and a woman meeting in a bar, but I don't think that it was further connected to the first Meet-Cute story. This one went places I didn't expect and it walked a very weird line between stalking and positivity. I don't really know how I was supposed to feel about it.
A Fruiting Body – Maybe the story works better if you read it with others like the author suggests, but this one didn't do anything for me. Not the best note to end on, in my opinion.
Overall, I have to call this a good collection. I wish there was at least one story that I loved much more than the rest, but there were plenty that I enjoyed. My personal favorites were Laughlines and Come and I'm so glad that I liked Rest Stop much more than before. This collection brought me unhinged characters, intense violence and gore galore, but many stories also offered discussions about at a whole variety of important themes, like religion, sexuality, mental health or grief. The majority of the stories is positively wild, but you can get much more out of them if you want to. And if you don't want to, you will be entertained anyway.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Shortwave Publishing for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Rest Stop – I must admit that I've read this one before and that I wasn't really a fan. But now that I know that Nat Cassidy is not the Dudebro author that I once thought him to be (I'm sorry, Sir), I dutifully read it again. And honestly, I kinda see the vision now. It's about a musician on the road, pulling into a gas station and having the absolute worst night imaginable there. It's such a fever dream of spiders and snakes and intense gore and googly eyes, and I'm not surprised that I was overwhelmed the first time I read this novella. I appreciated it a lot more this time around and I especially thought the (psycho) religious theme to be very interesting.
Meet-Cute #1: The Unluckiest Girl – More of a short interlude in my opinion, about a man and a woman meeting in a bar and complaining about how awful the world is. The twist was clear once a name was mentioned and it was up to the reader to imagine how unlucky that girl really got that night. It was pretty underwhelming for being the story that the I Know A Place part of the collection title refers to.
Generation – An interesting one with a cool concept. About a gynecologist who has to deal with a fundamental change in pregnancies. I liked that it stayed kinda vague and calm instead of leaning into the horror side of it.
Nice – An unexpected Christmas story. Focuses on a six-year-old boy who is lowkey unhealthily obsessed with Christmas and Santa Clause. But once he is visited by an elf who hates his job, the boy changes his mind and behavior. It started out fun and then turned into a disturbing story with creepy children and Christmas gore. As the title suggests, it was nice. :D
The Art of What You Want – Another disturbing story about a haunting taking an unexpected turn. I liked it for the amount of unhinged people that were included in here.
The Lunar Eclipse – I would love to tell you what this was about, but I didn't get it. It wasn't a horror story and was told in a strange way.
Laughlines – My favorite story of the collection! I could have done without the email format, but it was a nice change of pace. It was about a young woman traveling to the English countryside after learning about her estranged father and his side of the family. She's exploring a remote village and an old castle, and I don't know what it was, but I was somehow super invested in the creepy medieval castle lore. If Nat Cassidy ever decides to write a medieval horror novel, I would be so here for it. On the downside there was a random Harry Potter reference in here (come on, Mr. Cassidy!), and I'm pretty sure that the use of emojis made my kindle crash. (It has recovered now.)
Run For Your Life – This probably is a story that is close to Nat Cassidy's heart, because he poured a huge amount of music knowledge into it. Unfortunately, I really can't stand musical themes in books. They are just completely lost on me. I think the story has the potential to be people's favorite, but it really wasn't for me.
Jubilee Juncture – I personally think that ventriloquists are already kinda creepy on a good day, but this story takes the profession to the next level, in a bad way. It's about a man visiting his sketchy coworker and his creepy doll, and it was very gross and therefore one of the best stories of the collection.
Come – Who would have thought that the cursed sex tape high school story would be one of my favorites? It was wacky and kind of stupid, but I was living, laughing, loving. And there was asexual rep which even tied into the plot. It's a yes from me.
Into The Life Of Things – Two very annoying detectives are called to a hospital where a woman was killed. They talk to a nurse and learn about the woman's history, which includes a yoga cult and psychic powers. It was not my favorite, but it was fine. I think the dual timeline thing was kind of unnecessary.
Meet-Cute #2: The Scariest Thing - Another story about a man and a woman meeting in a bar, but I don't think that it was further connected to the first Meet-Cute story. This one went places I didn't expect and it walked a very weird line between stalking and positivity. I don't really know how I was supposed to feel about it.
A Fruiting Body – Maybe the story works better if you read it with others like the author suggests, but this one didn't do anything for me. Not the best note to end on, in my opinion.
Overall, I have to call this a good collection. I wish there was at least one story that I loved much more than the rest, but there were plenty that I enjoyed. My personal favorites were Laughlines and Come and I'm so glad that I liked Rest Stop much more than before. This collection brought me unhinged characters, intense violence and gore galore, but many stories also offered discussions about at a whole variety of important themes, like religion, sexuality, mental health or grief. The majority of the stories is positively wild, but you can get much more out of them if you want to. And if you don't want to, you will be entertained anyway.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Shortwave Publishing for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
January 13, 2026
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 1/2
Nat Cassidy could write a cookbook and I’d be enthralled. Something about how this man writes connects deeply with how I consume literature. This collection of short stories is no exception.
Having already read Rest Stop, and thinking it was one of the best short stories I’ve read, I was excited to see what else he had in store. This didn’t disappoint.
This has something for everyone. Serial killer meet cutes, time traveling Beatles theft, flesh eating ventriloquists, cursed sex tapes, and a use of emojis that quite literally almost blew up my Kindle.
I love a good short story collection from time to time, and this one measures up to some of my favorites by King and Malfi. Nat Cassidy’s come up continues.
Nat Cassidy could write a cookbook and I’d be enthralled. Something about how this man writes connects deeply with how I consume literature. This collection of short stories is no exception.
Having already read Rest Stop, and thinking it was one of the best short stories I’ve read, I was excited to see what else he had in store. This didn’t disappoint.
This has something for everyone. Serial killer meet cutes, time traveling Beatles theft, flesh eating ventriloquists, cursed sex tapes, and a use of emojis that quite literally almost blew up my Kindle.
I love a good short story collection from time to time, and this one measures up to some of my favorites by King and Malfi. Nat Cassidy’s come up continues.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If you’re into some nightmare fuel & everyday places turned sinister… Nat Cassidy is your guy.
This is a collection of short stories featuring a unique blend of horror where darkness has eyes and teeth and strong 'very wrong vibes' here.
Full review to follow over weekend :)
Many thanks to NetGalley, Shortwave Publishing and the author, Nat Cassidy for an early copy.
Publication date: May 5th, 2026
This is a collection of short stories featuring a unique blend of horror where darkness has eyes and teeth and strong 'very wrong vibes' here.
Full review to follow over weekend :)
Many thanks to NetGalley, Shortwave Publishing and the author, Nat Cassidy for an early copy.
Publication date: May 5th, 2026
May 5, 2026
“I Know a Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours” by Nat Cassidy is the first book I’ve ever read by him, and I have to say, I enjoy his writing style. I can see why he’s a popular horror author. I love horror short story collections, and for the most part, this didn’t disappoint in the grand scheme of things.
Before I dive into my horror book review, here are all the trigger warnings I found while reading:
- Religion
- Politics
- Cancer
- Abortion
- Violence against animals (dogs)
- Car accident
- Self-harm
- Suicide
- Stalking
If any of these trigger you, please do not read this book. Overall, I felt this was a decent horror short story collection, but there simply wasn't enough horror for it to truly shine. It starts off great, then fizzles out for a few stories, then picks up again, and right back to how would some of these stories be considered horror? Several times, I waited patiently for more horror, a crazy plot twist, or something to creep me out, but some of these stories just dragged on and were a bit boring.
Here’s my breakdown of each horror short story, and what I would rate it individually.
REST STOP - A 5-Star rating out of 5
This was one hell of a way to start this collection, as it was horrifying. Having gone on many road trips so far in my life, I will never look at a rest stop the same ever again, thanks to this short story. Don’t worry, no spoilers here, but this felt like a SAW-inspired story from those legendary horror movies. This was a lot of fun to read, as I loved the tension and suspense, and it genuinely freaked me out to imagine this happening to me.
MEET-CUTE #1: THE UNLUCKIEST GIRL - A 1-Star rating out of 5
I’m not sure what the purpose of this was. There was somewhat of a plot twist, if I guessed correctly on who a certain man was, trying to pick up a woman at a bar, but it leaves it to the reader’s imagination. I wish this had more horror, but it was just meh to me.
GENERATION - A 2-Star rating out of 5
Interesting story, but too heavy on dialogue, and not enough horror. This was honestly boring to read, but it was decent enough.
NICE - A 5-Star rating out of 5
I absolutely loved this one! All the gore, plot twists, and pure madness of it all. It puts a nice spin on Christmas horror, and since it’s my favorite holiday of the year, it hit home with me in a short, sweet, and straight-to-the-point way.
THE ART OF WHAT YOU WANT - A 5-Star rating out of 5
This was absolutely fantastic. I loved the plot twist here, as I didn’t see that coming at all, and it was one hell of a ride. I still can’t believe it, as this was awesome.
THE LUNAR ECLIPSE - A 1-Star rating out of 5
I'm not sure what this is or what it was supposed to be. I was very confused, unfortunately. This wasn’t scary or anything, and it felt completely out of place in a horror short story collection.
LAUGHLINES - A 1-Star rating out of 5
The formatting of this short story, told through emails, wasn’t good, and actually annoyed me while reading. Why go down the path of having to read emails to deliver a story? This was a very long short story that felt like it dragged on too much as it tried to fill in the backstory, and it was a slogfest to get through.
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE - A 5-Star rating out of 5
If you love music, this short story will stick with you after you finish. I’ve never read a horror story involving The Beatles, and I loved the originality here. This was a great story that delivered on the horror and several plot twists. I love music, and even though I’m a thrash metalhead, I will always and forever love The Beatles, as this horror short story resonated with me.
JUBILEE JUNCTURE - A 1-Star rating out of 5
Similar to “The Lunar Eclipse,” I’m unsure what this story was, and it wasn’t scary enough at all. Way too heavy with dialogue, and dull.
COME - A 5-Star rating out of 5
Just like the originality in “Run For Your Life,” this was another solid, creepy, and weird horror short story. I’ve never read sex tape horror before, and this was another banger.
INTO THE LIFE OF THINGS - A 2-Star rating out of 5
Another story that was too heavy into dialogue, and even though it was a decent horror murder mystery, it wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t extraordinary either. Somewhat confusing in parts, and like “Laughlines,” it was a very long short story because of excessive dialogue.
MEET-CUTE #2: THE SCARIEST THING - A 1-Star rating out of 5
Interesting story, but I wouldn’t consider this horror. Don’t get me wrong, the writing is solid, the characters are interesting, but it’s not scary, and it feels out of place here as well.
A FRUITING BODY - A 2-Star rating out of 5
I’m all about original, unique, and creative storytelling, and while I appreciate what Cassidy tried to do here, I also wouldn’t technically consider this horror. It’s an interactive way to end this horror short story collection for you and your horror-reading friends. It’s engaging and intriguing, but I’m old school when it comes to reading horror. I’ve been reading horror books for over 30 years now, and for me, if it’s a final story in a horror short story collection, you have to end it with a bang. This started out great with “Rest Stop,” but it didn’t end with a drop-the-mic moment or with saving the best short story for last. I wanted something scary, evil, terrifying, maybe even sending a final chill down my spine. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen here, but I applaud the creativity.
I give “I Know a Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours” by Nat Cassidy a 3-Star rating out of 5. There are some incredible horror short stories here, a few duds, and some that, in my opinion, didn’t belong in a horror short story collection like this. Overall, this is a decent collection worth reading for those who want a little bit of everything, and it definitely takes readers on a rollercoaster of innovative horror short stories. I can see why Cassidy is as popular as he is, and I plan to read more of his work in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley, Nat Cassidy, and Shortwave Publishing for providing me with an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) for review consideration. This horror book review reflects my honest, personal opinion.
Before I dive into my horror book review, here are all the trigger warnings I found while reading:
- Religion
- Politics
- Cancer
- Abortion
- Violence against animals (dogs)
- Car accident
- Self-harm
- Suicide
- Stalking
If any of these trigger you, please do not read this book. Overall, I felt this was a decent horror short story collection, but there simply wasn't enough horror for it to truly shine. It starts off great, then fizzles out for a few stories, then picks up again, and right back to how would some of these stories be considered horror? Several times, I waited patiently for more horror, a crazy plot twist, or something to creep me out, but some of these stories just dragged on and were a bit boring.
Here’s my breakdown of each horror short story, and what I would rate it individually.
REST STOP - A 5-Star rating out of 5
This was one hell of a way to start this collection, as it was horrifying. Having gone on many road trips so far in my life, I will never look at a rest stop the same ever again, thanks to this short story. Don’t worry, no spoilers here, but this felt like a SAW-inspired story from those legendary horror movies. This was a lot of fun to read, as I loved the tension and suspense, and it genuinely freaked me out to imagine this happening to me.
MEET-CUTE #1: THE UNLUCKIEST GIRL - A 1-Star rating out of 5
I’m not sure what the purpose of this was. There was somewhat of a plot twist, if I guessed correctly on who a certain man was, trying to pick up a woman at a bar, but it leaves it to the reader’s imagination. I wish this had more horror, but it was just meh to me.
GENERATION - A 2-Star rating out of 5
Interesting story, but too heavy on dialogue, and not enough horror. This was honestly boring to read, but it was decent enough.
NICE - A 5-Star rating out of 5
I absolutely loved this one! All the gore, plot twists, and pure madness of it all. It puts a nice spin on Christmas horror, and since it’s my favorite holiday of the year, it hit home with me in a short, sweet, and straight-to-the-point way.
THE ART OF WHAT YOU WANT - A 5-Star rating out of 5
This was absolutely fantastic. I loved the plot twist here, as I didn’t see that coming at all, and it was one hell of a ride. I still can’t believe it, as this was awesome.
THE LUNAR ECLIPSE - A 1-Star rating out of 5
I'm not sure what this is or what it was supposed to be. I was very confused, unfortunately. This wasn’t scary or anything, and it felt completely out of place in a horror short story collection.
LAUGHLINES - A 1-Star rating out of 5
The formatting of this short story, told through emails, wasn’t good, and actually annoyed me while reading. Why go down the path of having to read emails to deliver a story? This was a very long short story that felt like it dragged on too much as it tried to fill in the backstory, and it was a slogfest to get through.
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE - A 5-Star rating out of 5
If you love music, this short story will stick with you after you finish. I’ve never read a horror story involving The Beatles, and I loved the originality here. This was a great story that delivered on the horror and several plot twists. I love music, and even though I’m a thrash metalhead, I will always and forever love The Beatles, as this horror short story resonated with me.
JUBILEE JUNCTURE - A 1-Star rating out of 5
Similar to “The Lunar Eclipse,” I’m unsure what this story was, and it wasn’t scary enough at all. Way too heavy with dialogue, and dull.
COME - A 5-Star rating out of 5
Just like the originality in “Run For Your Life,” this was another solid, creepy, and weird horror short story. I’ve never read sex tape horror before, and this was another banger.
INTO THE LIFE OF THINGS - A 2-Star rating out of 5
Another story that was too heavy into dialogue, and even though it was a decent horror murder mystery, it wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t extraordinary either. Somewhat confusing in parts, and like “Laughlines,” it was a very long short story because of excessive dialogue.
MEET-CUTE #2: THE SCARIEST THING - A 1-Star rating out of 5
Interesting story, but I wouldn’t consider this horror. Don’t get me wrong, the writing is solid, the characters are interesting, but it’s not scary, and it feels out of place here as well.
A FRUITING BODY - A 2-Star rating out of 5
I’m all about original, unique, and creative storytelling, and while I appreciate what Cassidy tried to do here, I also wouldn’t technically consider this horror. It’s an interactive way to end this horror short story collection for you and your horror-reading friends. It’s engaging and intriguing, but I’m old school when it comes to reading horror. I’ve been reading horror books for over 30 years now, and for me, if it’s a final story in a horror short story collection, you have to end it with a bang. This started out great with “Rest Stop,” but it didn’t end with a drop-the-mic moment or with saving the best short story for last. I wanted something scary, evil, terrifying, maybe even sending a final chill down my spine. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen here, but I applaud the creativity.
I give “I Know a Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours” by Nat Cassidy a 3-Star rating out of 5. There are some incredible horror short stories here, a few duds, and some that, in my opinion, didn’t belong in a horror short story collection like this. Overall, this is a decent collection worth reading for those who want a little bit of everything, and it definitely takes readers on a rollercoaster of innovative horror short stories. I can see why Cassidy is as popular as he is, and I plan to read more of his work in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley, Nat Cassidy, and Shortwave Publishing for providing me with an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) for review consideration. This horror book review reflects my honest, personal opinion.
February 2, 2026
Hawt damn! When a Nat Cassidy book comes out…… guess what? You READ THAT SHIT!
It’s been a minute since I’ve read a short story collection all the way through. Why? Because they’re short stories. I take breaks and go back. NOT HERE my friends. I read every story and loved them all.
Rest Stop is the first and it’s about a guy who gets trapped in a gas station with creatures and a serial killer! Loved it! How can Nat be so terrifying, yet, have me laughing my ass off? Satire doesn’t work in a lot of horror novels for me, but he has a true gift that does.
My other favorites were about an insane yoga retreat, the ghost of a dead wife, and a creepy dummy ventriloquist. These were fantastic!!!
If you are a horror fan, not scared of some gore, and love this author….. you’re sure to love this.
Massive thanks to Shortwave Books, Nat Cassidy and NetGalley for the gifted copy.
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub date 5/5/26
It’s been a minute since I’ve read a short story collection all the way through. Why? Because they’re short stories. I take breaks and go back. NOT HERE my friends. I read every story and loved them all.
Rest Stop is the first and it’s about a guy who gets trapped in a gas station with creatures and a serial killer! Loved it! How can Nat be so terrifying, yet, have me laughing my ass off? Satire doesn’t work in a lot of horror novels for me, but he has a true gift that does.
My other favorites were about an insane yoga retreat, the ghost of a dead wife, and a creepy dummy ventriloquist. These were fantastic!!!
If you are a horror fan, not scared of some gore, and love this author….. you’re sure to love this.
Massive thanks to Shortwave Books, Nat Cassidy and NetGalley for the gifted copy.
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub date 5/5/26
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
i thought i would like this, but the sad reality is that the only short story i actually enjoyed was the one called “nice”. i had already read rest stop separately & didn’t like that one, so i skipped it here. i think some of the other stories had potential, but they were either too short or dragged on forever. i was so bored throughout.
⇨ thanks to NetGalley, the author and Shortwave Publishing for the arc, all opinions are my own.
⇨ thanks to NetGalley, the author and Shortwave Publishing for the arc, all opinions are my own.
April 26, 2026
Personally I say this wasn’t for me like at all, found it all mostly boring.
- Rest stop
It was a bit interesting at the start but then I just gotten bored of it and aI have fallen asleep reading sadly. It didn’t keep me on my toes at all. It’s gory sure but like I feel like nothing really that much happened in it. This was quite a tame novella which is a bit disappointing. I really don’t want to say that this was stupid, but it was stupid. I did quite read it quickly after I woke up from my sleep so that’s a bonus.
- Meet-cute #1: the unluckiest girl
This was basically an interlude of a man and a women meeting at a bar to complain about how awful the world is. Literally that’s all that happened. The thing about this was that we find the man name which kind of brings the twist to the story and we as readers know how the story ends.
- Generation
I read the words and technically that’s all so have to say. I mean the concept it’s as bad it just personally was boring. She’s an gynaecologist and helps parent decide if they want to continue with the pregnancies of the ‘babies’.
- Nice
I say this probably is one of the best one so far but like it still was missing stuff in order for me to love it. The kid was definitely brutal. I feel like if the story was a bit longer it would’ve been better.
- The art of what you want
It’s a story with a haunting that take place with a twist. Personally I didn’t like it
- The lunar eclipse
Either I don’t get this story or it just doesn’t make any sense as to why it was written. This in no way shape and form was a horror story.
- Laughlines
Boring, and my boring I honestly boring. Oh wow the whole email concept in a horror story personally made me the worse thing.
- Run for your life
I did know like this story at all. I found it boring and that it was dragging. The whole music aspect was a nice concept but a concept that I just didn’t enjoy.
- Jubilee juncture
This was surely something, but nothing exciting.
- Come
Who would’ve thought a cursed sex tape would do that much damage to the world, oh wait everyone. This was so stupid.
- Into the life of things
This is dual pov, which wasn’t really necessary and I just found this a snooze fest.
- Meet-cute #2: the scariest thing
I don’t think this connects with the other one. This story basically was about stalking, kind of stalking.
- A fruiting body
I’m so lost
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
————————————————-
𐙚⋆°. preread
A horror short story collection, I fear I need it right now
- Rest stop
It was a bit interesting at the start but then I just gotten bored of it and aI have fallen asleep reading sadly. It didn’t keep me on my toes at all. It’s gory sure but like I feel like nothing really that much happened in it. This was quite a tame novella which is a bit disappointing. I really don’t want to say that this was stupid, but it was stupid. I did quite read it quickly after I woke up from my sleep so that’s a bonus.
- Meet-cute #1: the unluckiest girl
This was basically an interlude of a man and a women meeting at a bar to complain about how awful the world is. Literally that’s all that happened. The thing about this was that we find the man name which kind of brings the twist to the story and we as readers know how the story ends.
- Generation
I read the words and technically that’s all so have to say. I mean the concept it’s as bad it just personally was boring. She’s an gynaecologist and helps parent decide if they want to continue with the pregnancies of the ‘babies’.
- Nice
I say this probably is one of the best one so far but like it still was missing stuff in order for me to love it. The kid was definitely brutal. I feel like if the story was a bit longer it would’ve been better.
- The art of what you want
It’s a story with a haunting that take place with a twist. Personally I didn’t like it
- The lunar eclipse
Either I don’t get this story or it just doesn’t make any sense as to why it was written. This in no way shape and form was a horror story.
- Laughlines
Boring, and my boring I honestly boring. Oh wow the whole email concept in a horror story personally made me the worse thing.
- Run for your life
I did know like this story at all. I found it boring and that it was dragging. The whole music aspect was a nice concept but a concept that I just didn’t enjoy.
- Jubilee juncture
This was surely something, but nothing exciting.
- Come
Who would’ve thought a cursed sex tape would do that much damage to the world, oh wait everyone. This was so stupid.
- Into the life of things
This is dual pov, which wasn’t really necessary and I just found this a snooze fest.
- Meet-cute #2: the scariest thing
I don’t think this connects with the other one. This story basically was about stalking, kind of stalking.
- A fruiting body
I’m so lost
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
————————————————-
𐙚⋆°. preread
A horror short story collection, I fear I need it right now
March 25, 2026
Rating a collection of short stories is really so hard.
The first story actually kept me awake at night, which is the first time that's ever happened from words alone. I thought a lot of these were fun - some more than others - but none I actively DIDN'T like. There were common themes; I felt like I was really learning exactly how Nat Cassidy's brain functions. Each story, I felt, was pretty solid. Rare find.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of I Know A Place!
The first story actually kept me awake at night, which is the first time that's ever happened from words alone. I thought a lot of these were fun - some more than others - but none I actively DIDN'T like. There were common themes; I felt like I was really learning exactly how Nat Cassidy's brain functions. Each story, I felt, was pretty solid. Rare find.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of I Know A Place!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I hope nat cassidy keeps writing forever
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
12 short stories and 1 novella (ish) length story; equals 13 bite sized chunks of delicious horror from Nat Cassidy. Each one of them twisted… and as you read on each seems a bit stranger than the last. Culminating in a storm with an untraditional narrative that is a conscious stream of (nearly) nonsense. My favourite of all the stories was also a different narrative approach in which the story is told in emails back and forth… and it’s brilliant!! Especially the ending that is lines and lines a single emoji! I won’t tell you which one as it’s too good to spoil.
The opening novella length story, Rest Stop, is horror for horrors sake. A little bit of inspiration seems to have come from Jigsaw and trapping your ‘prey’ by tricking them into feeling safe in one place, and then destroying that illusion. It features a huge spider which is a literal nightmare to me. Spiders are the absolute worst!!! *shudder* I almost had to skip through it but luckily the story moves on quickly to a new threat; and (for me) nothing is as terrifying as a spider (unless it’s the vast deep dark ocean that is equal or worse; but that’s a different kind of terror).
The remaining stories are all clever in their own way. The variety of stories here shows the vast range of plot points and items that can be horrific. Nat Cassidy does a wonderful job of highlighting serial killers, supernatural entities, crazed humans, fungus (yep mushrooms) and more to demonstrate the multitude of options available to scare us. I guarantee everyone will find at least one (if not more) stories here that touches a nerve and gives you the horror shudder you are likely looking for when you pick-up a Cassidy book.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
The opening novella length story, Rest Stop, is horror for horrors sake. A little bit of inspiration seems to have come from Jigsaw and trapping your ‘prey’ by tricking them into feeling safe in one place, and then destroying that illusion. It features a huge spider which is a literal nightmare to me. Spiders are the absolute worst!!! *shudder* I almost had to skip through it but luckily the story moves on quickly to a new threat; and (for me) nothing is as terrifying as a spider (unless it’s the vast deep dark ocean that is equal or worse; but that’s a different kind of terror).
The remaining stories are all clever in their own way. The variety of stories here shows the vast range of plot points and items that can be horrific. Nat Cassidy does a wonderful job of highlighting serial killers, supernatural entities, crazed humans, fungus (yep mushrooms) and more to demonstrate the multitude of options available to scare us. I guarantee everyone will find at least one (if not more) stories here that touches a nerve and gives you the horror shudder you are likely looking for when you pick-up a Cassidy book.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
April 20, 2026
I’ve genuinely loved every book I’ve read by Nat Cassidy, and I Know a Place is no exception. At this point, I go into his work with high expectations, and somehow, he still manages to exceed them.
Cassidy has such a fantastic ability with blending horror and social commentary, creating stories that are not only unsettling but also deeply thought-provoking. This collection leans a bit more direct than his full-length novels, but that doesn’t diminish its impact. If anything, the immediacy of the themes makes each story hit even harder, especially when you take a look at the world around us.
“Rest Stop” completely floored me. It’s a harrowing exploration of identity, religion, and self-perception that left me genuinely shaken. It’s one of those stories where you just sit in silence afterward, staring at a wall, processing what you just experienced. Thankfully, I was in the comfort of my own home and not in a gas station bathroom…which I will probably never use again.
I’m not typically drawn to short story collections, but this one has made me a convert. Each piece feels purposeful, distinct, and memorable. That said, several stories left me wanting more in the best possible way. “Generation,” “Nice,” “Laughlines,” and “Jubilee Juncture” felt so rich in concept and execution that I would absolutely read full-length novels based on them. If you can’t tell, this is me subtly begging for them to be full length novels.
Overall, I Know a Place is a powerful, unsettling, and memorable collection that reinforces why Nat Cassidy is one of the most exciting voices in horror right now and one of my own personal favorite authors across all genres.
Thank you to NetGalley and Shortwave Books for the e-ARC. All opinions are my own.
Cassidy has such a fantastic ability with blending horror and social commentary, creating stories that are not only unsettling but also deeply thought-provoking. This collection leans a bit more direct than his full-length novels, but that doesn’t diminish its impact. If anything, the immediacy of the themes makes each story hit even harder, especially when you take a look at the world around us.
“Rest Stop” completely floored me. It’s a harrowing exploration of identity, religion, and self-perception that left me genuinely shaken. It’s one of those stories where you just sit in silence afterward, staring at a wall, processing what you just experienced. Thankfully, I was in the comfort of my own home and not in a gas station bathroom…which I will probably never use again.
I’m not typically drawn to short story collections, but this one has made me a convert. Each piece feels purposeful, distinct, and memorable. That said, several stories left me wanting more in the best possible way. “Generation,” “Nice,” “Laughlines,” and “Jubilee Juncture” felt so rich in concept and execution that I would absolutely read full-length novels based on them. If you can’t tell, this is me subtly begging for them to be full length novels.
Overall, I Know a Place is a powerful, unsettling, and memorable collection that reinforces why Nat Cassidy is one of the most exciting voices in horror right now and one of my own personal favorite authors across all genres.
Thank you to NetGalley and Shortwave Books for the e-ARC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC via Netgalley. Thank you to Shortwave Publishing for their copy.
Nat Cassidy certainly knows locals who allow him to illustrate his craft in his anthology, I Know A Place. The main destination within this road trip is his novella Rest Stop, which features a rock star who gets locked in a gas station bathroom and has to cope with creepy crawlies and an unstable assailant who monitors his every move. Within this short thriller, we get enough pages for readers to learn Abe’s background and his dysfunctional relationships as much as we get his taste in music. As Abe reminisces while trapped in the stall, we flashback to his Jewish heritage and his complicated relationship with his grandmother. A childhood boogeyman, remembered through his Grandmother, sharpens Abe’s fear as he faces his own boogeyman in a claustrophobic, dirty bathroom. Abe is a likable enough rock’n’roller, and there is enough tension and gas station crud to keep the reader invested in his predicament while he tries to survive the night. However, there was a sequence in the middle that unnecessarily slowed the momentum of Abe’s desperation.
Outside the novella, Cassidy offers other routes. We’re allowed to get enough of how he writes surrealist tales that can unfold in a doctor’s office, in a suburban household, a yoga retreat, at a Castle in the UK, at school, or even across time. He is allowed to frame these locations as opportunities to creatively explore horrific scenarios. Personally, the stories I’ve enjoyed most were Nice (the Christmas-themed story), Laughlines (the medieval story told in email format), and Jubilee Junction (proof that dummies are still unsettling). I’ve felt like they were the most memorable of the collection, with the first two being evidence that Cassidy can effectively blend dark humour in vile situations. In contrast to what I enjoyed, I couldn’t get into stories such as Run for Your Life and Into the Life of Things because their pacing meanders and their characters’ motivations were limited by the length, which could be proof that some of Cassidy’s concepts work better as full-length novels.
Overall, despite some detours that slow the journey down. I enjoyed exploring Cassidy’s dark destination in I Know A Place, and I’m definitely interested in what comes along.
Nat Cassidy certainly knows locals who allow him to illustrate his craft in his anthology, I Know A Place. The main destination within this road trip is his novella Rest Stop, which features a rock star who gets locked in a gas station bathroom and has to cope with creepy crawlies and an unstable assailant who monitors his every move. Within this short thriller, we get enough pages for readers to learn Abe’s background and his dysfunctional relationships as much as we get his taste in music. As Abe reminisces while trapped in the stall, we flashback to his Jewish heritage and his complicated relationship with his grandmother. A childhood boogeyman, remembered through his Grandmother, sharpens Abe’s fear as he faces his own boogeyman in a claustrophobic, dirty bathroom. Abe is a likable enough rock’n’roller, and there is enough tension and gas station crud to keep the reader invested in his predicament while he tries to survive the night. However, there was a sequence in the middle that unnecessarily slowed the momentum of Abe’s desperation.
Outside the novella, Cassidy offers other routes. We’re allowed to get enough of how he writes surrealist tales that can unfold in a doctor’s office, in a suburban household, a yoga retreat, at a Castle in the UK, at school, or even across time. He is allowed to frame these locations as opportunities to creatively explore horrific scenarios. Personally, the stories I’ve enjoyed most were Nice (the Christmas-themed story), Laughlines (the medieval story told in email format), and Jubilee Junction (proof that dummies are still unsettling). I’ve felt like they were the most memorable of the collection, with the first two being evidence that Cassidy can effectively blend dark humour in vile situations. In contrast to what I enjoyed, I couldn’t get into stories such as Run for Your Life and Into the Life of Things because their pacing meanders and their characters’ motivations were limited by the length, which could be proof that some of Cassidy’s concepts work better as full-length novels.
Overall, despite some detours that slow the journey down. I enjoyed exploring Cassidy’s dark destination in I Know A Place, and I’m definitely interested in what comes along.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Starred review in the April 2026 issue of Library Journal
Three Words That Describe This Book: dark humor, immersive, a road map to a singular voice
Draft review: Cassidy, already a TikTok favorite, takes readers on a carefully mapped, horrific journey, with stops at 13 fear inducing locations, places dripping with unrelenting dread, immersive fear, and existential terror. First stop, the critically acclaimed novella “Rest Stop,” a tale of Abe, en route to the bedside of his ailing grandmother, struggling with their complicated relationship, as he gets trapped and must fight his way out of a gas station bathroom. Moving through Christmas, dating, and behind the scenes with a well known band, this discomfiting road trip ends perfectly at “Fruiting Bodies,” (the shortest but arguably most unsettling and expansive tale). A scientist is alone in a room, studying a fungus with dangerous powers. Deceptively simple, bursting with dark humour, and utterly chilling, this is a story (and a volume) that leaves readers satisfied but also waiting for more.
Verdict: A terrifying joy, a conversation between author and reader about horror (the emotion and the genre), Cassidy doesn’t just know a place, he has planted a flag there, announcing himself as a singular voice in the genre. Suggest to those who enjoy a wide range of horror from Stephen King (who provides the introduction) to T. Kingfisher, Kelly Link to Rachel Harrison, Slivia Moreno-Garcia to Clay McLeod Chapman.
When I think a collection is "fine" the review is easy to write. But when I LOVE a collection it is SO HARD to not write about every single story. I only have 200 words to convey why the collection is great though. Figuring out the level of detail is key. Share why it is awesome, leave some bread crumbs to get people to take it off the shelf or add to their Ingram cart for their library, but again 200 words.
Here some of the words need to go to how happy I am that the amazing novella REST STOP will be available for more readers. It is a story about literally getting trapped in a rest stop bathroom but it is also a contemplation about family and our complicated relationship with them and how they are a part of us, like it or not. It’s also about getting trapped in your own life. And that is VERY BROAD STROKES. But it is terrifying in the immediate and it has an unease that lingers. You will think about it during but also after. Both will give you chills.
Others words to say how these are all stories tied to their place-- yes I know that is in the title but it needs saying in a review because just because Cassidy put it in the title doesn't mean he followed through. Also many of these stories started as plays (from story notes) and they feel that way but you can tell that they have been enhanced by being put into prose. More words to talk about the journey Cassidy takes readers on through this 13 "detours," like a great mix tape (Cassidy is also a musician and there is a great story here about a band you know...or do you). And there need to be words about how that journey leads to a final story which-- if the first story is set in a very specific place, where someone is literally trapped the last story is set in a blank room (well two blank rooms actually-- its meta-- the room of a scientist and a very specific fungus who are the characters in the story and the room of a black box theater as the author directs people to act out this story for themselves -- read it aloud-- as if it were performed. And this story (Fruiting Bodies) is the most expansive . It is chilling, full of existential terror and so much dark humor. In many ways it is the most different story here and yet, it is also the perfect ending because it leaves you satisfied, glad you went on the trip, but also wanting more.
And there it is. I have landed on how I will share this collection in my review-- I will tell readers that this collection is journey, told by a singular voice with an excellent ear for dialog, who understand terror both existential and literal, who takes readers along for the ride, on a well mapped out trip, stopping at 13 detours to experience the full range of horrific emotions, from places they know to those they could have never imagined on their own but they are glad to have visited them. This collection is a conversation about horror, emotion and the genre.
(I am still going to go over on words.) (I also feel like I channeled Cassidy a bit, writing this review; but you probably noticed that already.)
For fans of authors who use the full scope of the emotion of horror to convey a wide range of original, immersive and compelling terrifying stories featuring characters and situations that feel very personal, as done by authors like Joe Hill, T. Kingfisher, Clay McLeod Chapman, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
But also so many more. I picked these to give library workers examples that seem so different, but really they are not when you look outside the plots of their books and think about how they work to place readers in tangible spaces, give them memorable characters, and let the terrors lose on it all. The methods are different, but the feelings are not.
Three Words That Describe This Book: dark humor, immersive, a road map to a singular voice
Draft review: Cassidy, already a TikTok favorite, takes readers on a carefully mapped, horrific journey, with stops at 13 fear inducing locations, places dripping with unrelenting dread, immersive fear, and existential terror. First stop, the critically acclaimed novella “Rest Stop,” a tale of Abe, en route to the bedside of his ailing grandmother, struggling with their complicated relationship, as he gets trapped and must fight his way out of a gas station bathroom. Moving through Christmas, dating, and behind the scenes with a well known band, this discomfiting road trip ends perfectly at “Fruiting Bodies,” (the shortest but arguably most unsettling and expansive tale). A scientist is alone in a room, studying a fungus with dangerous powers. Deceptively simple, bursting with dark humour, and utterly chilling, this is a story (and a volume) that leaves readers satisfied but also waiting for more.
Verdict: A terrifying joy, a conversation between author and reader about horror (the emotion and the genre), Cassidy doesn’t just know a place, he has planted a flag there, announcing himself as a singular voice in the genre. Suggest to those who enjoy a wide range of horror from Stephen King (who provides the introduction) to T. Kingfisher, Kelly Link to Rachel Harrison, Slivia Moreno-Garcia to Clay McLeod Chapman.
When I think a collection is "fine" the review is easy to write. But when I LOVE a collection it is SO HARD to not write about every single story. I only have 200 words to convey why the collection is great though. Figuring out the level of detail is key. Share why it is awesome, leave some bread crumbs to get people to take it off the shelf or add to their Ingram cart for their library, but again 200 words.
Here some of the words need to go to how happy I am that the amazing novella REST STOP will be available for more readers. It is a story about literally getting trapped in a rest stop bathroom but it is also a contemplation about family and our complicated relationship with them and how they are a part of us, like it or not. It’s also about getting trapped in your own life. And that is VERY BROAD STROKES. But it is terrifying in the immediate and it has an unease that lingers. You will think about it during but also after. Both will give you chills.
Others words to say how these are all stories tied to their place-- yes I know that is in the title but it needs saying in a review because just because Cassidy put it in the title doesn't mean he followed through. Also many of these stories started as plays (from story notes) and they feel that way but you can tell that they have been enhanced by being put into prose. More words to talk about the journey Cassidy takes readers on through this 13 "detours," like a great mix tape (Cassidy is also a musician and there is a great story here about a band you know...or do you). And there need to be words about how that journey leads to a final story which-- if the first story is set in a very specific place, where someone is literally trapped the last story is set in a blank room (well two blank rooms actually-- its meta-- the room of a scientist and a very specific fungus who are the characters in the story and the room of a black box theater as the author directs people to act out this story for themselves -- read it aloud-- as if it were performed. And this story (Fruiting Bodies) is the most expansive . It is chilling, full of existential terror and so much dark humor. In many ways it is the most different story here and yet, it is also the perfect ending because it leaves you satisfied, glad you went on the trip, but also wanting more.
And there it is. I have landed on how I will share this collection in my review-- I will tell readers that this collection is journey, told by a singular voice with an excellent ear for dialog, who understand terror both existential and literal, who takes readers along for the ride, on a well mapped out trip, stopping at 13 detours to experience the full range of horrific emotions, from places they know to those they could have never imagined on their own but they are glad to have visited them. This collection is a conversation about horror, emotion and the genre.
(I am still going to go over on words.) (I also feel like I channeled Cassidy a bit, writing this review; but you probably noticed that already.)
For fans of authors who use the full scope of the emotion of horror to convey a wide range of original, immersive and compelling terrifying stories featuring characters and situations that feel very personal, as done by authors like Joe Hill, T. Kingfisher, Clay McLeod Chapman, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
But also so many more. I picked these to give library workers examples that seem so different, but really they are not when you look outside the plots of their books and think about how they work to place readers in tangible spaces, give them memorable characters, and let the terrors lose on it all. The methods are different, but the feelings are not.
January 20, 2026
Nat Cassidy’s first collection of short stories, I Know a Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours, is one of the best collections of short horror fiction I’ve read in some time. Reading this collection evoked the same feelings I had reading Night Shift by Stephen King for the first time.
I Know a Place is anchored by the opening novella, Rest Stop, which was a huge indie hit when it came out as a standalone from Shortwave. It’s a gleefully nasty horror romp set in a rest area bathroom. This collection also features the short stories from Shortwave’s Cassidy Catacombs chapbooks and numerous new stories, all of which were excellent.
My personal favorite story is “Run for Your Life”, a story toeing the line between short story and novella that features a narcissistic cover band musician who wants to BE The Beatles. It’s like 11/22/63 but with an egomaniac. It’s so much fun, especially if you love The Beatles or meta-fiction.
The stories here range from WTF did I just read all the way to absolutely beautiful stories like “The Lunar Eclipse”. There’s even a performance piece at the end of the collection. Other standout stories for me are “Jubilee Juncture”, “Laughlines”, “The Art of What You Want”, and the two “Meet-Cute” stories.
I Know a Place is a modern horror master at his absolute finest. Sharp, thrilling horror stories about the darkest depths of human nature and the lengths people will go to get what they want or to simply survive.
If you’re looking for a bloody good time, I know a place, in the hands of Nat Cassidy.
Thanks so much to Shortwave for an eARC for review!
I Know a Place will be released on May 5th, 2026.
I Know a Place is anchored by the opening novella, Rest Stop, which was a huge indie hit when it came out as a standalone from Shortwave. It’s a gleefully nasty horror romp set in a rest area bathroom. This collection also features the short stories from Shortwave’s Cassidy Catacombs chapbooks and numerous new stories, all of which were excellent.
My personal favorite story is “Run for Your Life”, a story toeing the line between short story and novella that features a narcissistic cover band musician who wants to BE The Beatles. It’s like 11/22/63 but with an egomaniac. It’s so much fun, especially if you love The Beatles or meta-fiction.
The stories here range from WTF did I just read all the way to absolutely beautiful stories like “The Lunar Eclipse”. There’s even a performance piece at the end of the collection. Other standout stories for me are “Jubilee Juncture”, “Laughlines”, “The Art of What You Want”, and the two “Meet-Cute” stories.
I Know a Place is a modern horror master at his absolute finest. Sharp, thrilling horror stories about the darkest depths of human nature and the lengths people will go to get what they want or to simply survive.
If you’re looking for a bloody good time, I know a place, in the hands of Nat Cassidy.
Thanks so much to Shortwave for an eARC for review!
I Know a Place will be released on May 5th, 2026.
March 4, 2026
Nat Cassidy is one of my favorite authors, I have enjoyed every novel he has he has published. This book is a fantastic collection of short stories with the highlight being rest stop. It is a fast paced, moving bloody, gory read. I recommend this book 100%. Thank you to Nagalli for letting me read the advanced copy which will come out May 26 in the United States. 5/5
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April 15, 2026At this point, I'm a certified Nat Cassidy stan. It just is what it is. One of the best authors in the horror genre today and I will literally duel someone over this statement. He's also one of the only male authors that I trust to write women with any sort of care. In short, I would read his grocery list.
I Know A Place is the latest installment in an incredible catalog of work, a short story collection that really showcases Cassidy's range. From political commentary to the truly unsettling I think there is something for anyone who is into horror or is horror curious. As someone who typically does not gravitate to short story collections, because I always want MORE, this has some absolute bangers in it. Nat, if you're reading there are a few I'd love to see as longer stories: Generation, Laughlines and Jubilee Juncture to name a few.
Please never stop writing.
I originally read Rest Stop in 2024. My review can be found here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Thank you to NetGalley and Shortwave Publishing for the arc!
I Know A Place is the latest installment in an incredible catalog of work, a short story collection that really showcases Cassidy's range. From political commentary to the truly unsettling I think there is something for anyone who is into horror or is horror curious. As someone who typically does not gravitate to short story collections, because I always want MORE, this has some absolute bangers in it. Nat, if you're reading there are a few I'd love to see as longer stories: Generation, Laughlines and Jubilee Juncture to name a few.
Please never stop writing.
I originally read Rest Stop in 2024. My review can be found here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Thank you to NetGalley and Shortwave Publishing for the arc!
May 5, 2026
Thanks to Netgalley and Shortwave for the prerelease copy of I Know a Place by Nat Cassidy. Below is my honest review.
Nat Cassidy is a new to me author, but I've heard so many of my current favorite horror authors talk about him and his work, so I was aware of him. When I saw this available on Netgalley, I knew it would be a good start to figuring out if his work was for me - multiple stories showing multiple aspects of his style and wit.
This one knocked it out of the park. The collection starts with Rest Stop, which was brutal and compelling and hard to put down. It should totally be a movie! The rest of the stories then kept me going deep into the night, with some favorites being The Art of What You Want, Come, and Laughlines. But overall, they were all strong stories, and it looks like by TBR will be growing, thanks to adding the rest of his works.
5 stars, highly recommended for horror and thriller fans.
Nat Cassidy is a new to me author, but I've heard so many of my current favorite horror authors talk about him and his work, so I was aware of him. When I saw this available on Netgalley, I knew it would be a good start to figuring out if his work was for me - multiple stories showing multiple aspects of his style and wit.
This one knocked it out of the park. The collection starts with Rest Stop, which was brutal and compelling and hard to put down. It should totally be a movie! The rest of the stories then kept me going deep into the night, with some favorites being The Art of What You Want, Come, and Laughlines. But overall, they were all strong stories, and it looks like by TBR will be growing, thanks to adding the rest of his works.
5 stars, highly recommended for horror and thriller fans.
Want to Read
January 13, 2026Party people, this is not a drill! I received an ARC and could not be more excited. Hope to read very soon.
March 12, 2026
Mary was my first ever book I read from Nat Cassidy. It was wonderful, and ever since I’ve been eagerly reading any release from this author. The long form stories are great.
That being said - this short story collection is amazing. It starts off with Rest Stop, the longest story in the collection, which had previously been released as a novella. What follows are several stories of varying lengths, where not a word or page is wasted. The stories don’t overstay or drag out, and manage to remain intriguing and enthralling. No story is like the other, each deserving of individual praise.
Some stories are lighter than others, while some are decidedly darker. There’s humor in the right places. Many stories tackle different topics. “The Lunar Eclipse” is my favorite, however. It’s a little more melancholy and quiet, where a woman details her first love and the promise they made.
Do not skip this - I cannot recommend it enough.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
That being said - this short story collection is amazing. It starts off with Rest Stop, the longest story in the collection, which had previously been released as a novella. What follows are several stories of varying lengths, where not a word or page is wasted. The stories don’t overstay or drag out, and manage to remain intriguing and enthralling. No story is like the other, each deserving of individual praise.
Some stories are lighter than others, while some are decidedly darker. There’s humor in the right places. Many stories tackle different topics. “The Lunar Eclipse” is my favorite, however. It’s a little more melancholy and quiet, where a woman details her first love and the promise they made.
Do not skip this - I cannot recommend it enough.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 3, 2026
I had already read rest stop (which was super creepy 😆) and the rest of the stories were equally unnerving!
Nat Cassidy really knows how to crawl under your skin and give you the heebie jeebies ! If you love all things horror definitely give this a read :)
Nat Cassidy really knows how to crawl under your skin and give you the heebie jeebies ! If you love all things horror definitely give this a read :)
February 17, 2026
This collection of 13 horror themed short stories had a lot of variety. There is definitely something for everyone.
Leaving aside Rest Stop, which I had already read separately and loved, I found ‘Jubliee Juncture’ to be the most horrifying. Although the bible verses escaped me, the puppet knocked me sick.
Overall this was a strong collection, which didn’t feel repetitive and struck a nice balance in the varying lengths.
Thank you Shortwave Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Leaving aside Rest Stop, which I had already read separately and loved, I found ‘Jubliee Juncture’ to be the most horrifying. Although the bible verses escaped me, the puppet knocked me sick.
Overall this was a strong collection, which didn’t feel repetitive and struck a nice balance in the varying lengths.
Thank you Shortwave Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 3, 2026
Thank you Shortwave for my free ARC of I Know A Place by Nat Cassidy — available May 5!
» READ IF YOU «
👀 love horror that makes you look askance at everyday items
😂 want your dread served with a side of pitch-black humor
🚗 are ready to follow Nat absolutely anywhere he wants to take you
» SYNOPSIS «
A guided tour of the places where the light doesn't quite reach. Thirteen stories, all bangers—not a single "meh" one in the bunch. That's all you need to know really, so buckle up!
» REVIEW «
Originally, my plan was to space this out, read a story at a time. It went out the window after the very first story (though I did save my re-read of Rest Stop for last). Nat has pulled off something that I personally consider to be super rare—a story collection that is consistently, relentlessly great from start to finish, while creeping you the eff out with each one. Even one that's, kinda romantic? Maybe? It is quite creepy too.
These stories are gleefully depraved BUT full of genuine humanity, which is what I think makes them so very memorable. Jubilee Juncture is an absolute masterclass in what...the...FUCK...the kind of story that I won't ever be able to get out of my head. And Laughlines wrecked both my brain and my kindle, because poor baby could just not handle that last page of emojis.
The rest of the collection is just Nat proving, story after story, that if you're looking for incredible horror—I just might Know A Guy.
⭐️⭐��⭐️⭐️💫
» READ IF YOU «
👀 love horror that makes you look askance at everyday items
😂 want your dread served with a side of pitch-black humor
🚗 are ready to follow Nat absolutely anywhere he wants to take you
» SYNOPSIS «
A guided tour of the places where the light doesn't quite reach. Thirteen stories, all bangers—not a single "meh" one in the bunch. That's all you need to know really, so buckle up!
» REVIEW «
Originally, my plan was to space this out, read a story at a time. It went out the window after the very first story (though I did save my re-read of Rest Stop for last). Nat has pulled off something that I personally consider to be super rare—a story collection that is consistently, relentlessly great from start to finish, while creeping you the eff out with each one. Even one that's, kinda romantic? Maybe? It is quite creepy too.
These stories are gleefully depraved BUT full of genuine humanity, which is what I think makes them so very memorable. Jubilee Juncture is an absolute masterclass in what...the...FUCK...the kind of story that I won't ever be able to get out of my head. And Laughlines wrecked both my brain and my kindle, because poor baby could just not handle that last page of emojis.
The rest of the collection is just Nat proving, story after story, that if you're looking for incredible horror—I just might Know A Guy.
⭐️⭐��⭐️⭐️💫
May 5, 2026
“Rest Stop” is easily the standout of the collection, though it was a reread for me.
The rest of the collection was just mid. I enjoyed the Story Notes more than the actual stories. It was fascinating to hear how these stories came about even if the execution wasn’t my favorite.
The rest of the collection was just mid. I enjoyed the Story Notes more than the actual stories. It was fascinating to hear how these stories came about even if the execution wasn’t my favorite.
May 3, 2026
4.5/5 - This short story collection left me with so many emotions. These stories weave their way into your self and find homes. I love how Nat writes such scary and gruesome stories, but finds a way to give them deeper meanings. It really is just such an honor to get an arc from a new all time fav author. Here are my thoughts of each short story!
The social commentary in generation and nice were great. I loved the twisted story of the art of what you want. The lunar eclipse and a fruiting body made my heart met with blood. Rest stop was a wild ride with twists and turns I did not see coming. Nice was a great horror Christmas story and meet cute #1 settles in the weird tale of real life. Laughlines was uniquely told and it worked so well. Come was so good, gave me smile and it follow vibes. Into the life of things was a mind fuck. The meet cute 2: the scariest thing was not horror, but just the horror of the internet and people stalking you. It was raw, honest, and beautiful. Unfortunately, run for your life was my least favorite. It’s a cool concept but I just didn’t care since I’m not huge on the Beatles.
B&N Two Bonus Stories: Wow. All In Good Fun was an amazing bonus story and I loved the way it was formatted and told. An Interrogation was a good short story as well. Glad I got the B&N exclusive!
Overall, I’ve loved and enjoyed majority of these stories.
I want to thank Nat Cassidy, NetGalley, and Shortwave for the ARC. This review is 100% my own, honest, and unpaid.
1. Rest stop 5/5
2. The art of what you want 5/5
3. Meet Cute #2: The scariest thing 5/5
4. Come 5/5
5. Laughlines 5/5
6. Into the life of things 5/5
7. All In Good Fun 5/5
8. Nice 5/5
9. Jubilee Juncture 4.5/5
10. Meet cute #1: The unluckiest girl 4/5
11. The lunar eclipse 4/5
12. Generation 4/5
13. An Interrogation 4/5
14. A fruiting body 4/5
15. Run for your life 2.5/5
The social commentary in generation and nice were great. I loved the twisted story of the art of what you want. The lunar eclipse and a fruiting body made my heart met with blood. Rest stop was a wild ride with twists and turns I did not see coming. Nice was a great horror Christmas story and meet cute #1 settles in the weird tale of real life. Laughlines was uniquely told and it worked so well. Come was so good, gave me smile and it follow vibes. Into the life of things was a mind fuck. The meet cute 2: the scariest thing was not horror, but just the horror of the internet and people stalking you. It was raw, honest, and beautiful. Unfortunately, run for your life was my least favorite. It’s a cool concept but I just didn’t care since I’m not huge on the Beatles.
B&N Two Bonus Stories: Wow. All In Good Fun was an amazing bonus story and I loved the way it was formatted and told. An Interrogation was a good short story as well. Glad I got the B&N exclusive!
Overall, I’ve loved and enjoyed majority of these stories.
I want to thank Nat Cassidy, NetGalley, and Shortwave for the ARC. This review is 100% my own, honest, and unpaid.
1. Rest stop 5/5
2. The art of what you want 5/5
3. Meet Cute #2: The scariest thing 5/5
4. Come 5/5
5. Laughlines 5/5
6. Into the life of things 5/5
7. All In Good Fun 5/5
8. Nice 5/5
9. Jubilee Juncture 4.5/5
10. Meet cute #1: The unluckiest girl 4/5
11. The lunar eclipse 4/5
12. Generation 4/5
13. An Interrogation 4/5
14. A fruiting body 4/5
15. Run for your life 2.5/5
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book explores sinister and supernatural locations where darkness prevails. It features the novella *Rest Stop*, recognized as one of Esquire’s Best Horror Books of 2024, alongside original short stories. The narrative takes readers through eerie settings, such as an empty gas station, a doctor's office with unsettling items, a haunted kitchen, a ventriloquist's apartment, and a silent yoga retreat, emphasizing the potential dangers lurking in these places.
This book is packed with short, creepy stories that will send chills down your spine. Some tales left me needing my nightlight, while others were okay. However, this collection truly delivers on the eerie experience! Each story is fast-paced and chilling, and I appreciate the variety of ways in which they evoke fear. You'll find terror where you least expect it or in places you would expect it, which adds to the thrill.
These short stories are great for anyone looking to dive back into reading or explore a new genre. You can enjoy each tale separately at your own pace without feeling like you're missing out, as they stand alone as individual novellas. So, if you're feeling adventurous and want to try something new, this is your sign!
This book is ideal for those who already love this author or are drawn to dark, haunting narratives that linger long after you’ve read them—enough to make you check under your bed before sleeping. I typically don't watch horror films, but there's something about reading these stories that feels different. I find comfort in thinking that the monsters, ghosts, and nightmares will only emerge when I reopen the book. But the nagging question remains: will they truly wait, or will they slowly creep off the pages and into my soul? Boo!
Thank you, Shortwave Publishing and NetGalley, for the DRC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book is packed with short, creepy stories that will send chills down your spine. Some tales left me needing my nightlight, while others were okay. However, this collection truly delivers on the eerie experience! Each story is fast-paced and chilling, and I appreciate the variety of ways in which they evoke fear. You'll find terror where you least expect it or in places you would expect it, which adds to the thrill.
These short stories are great for anyone looking to dive back into reading or explore a new genre. You can enjoy each tale separately at your own pace without feeling like you're missing out, as they stand alone as individual novellas. So, if you're feeling adventurous and want to try something new, this is your sign!
This book is ideal for those who already love this author or are drawn to dark, haunting narratives that linger long after you’ve read them—enough to make you check under your bed before sleeping. I typically don't watch horror films, but there's something about reading these stories that feels different. I find comfort in thinking that the monsters, ghosts, and nightmares will only emerge when I reopen the book. But the nagging question remains: will they truly wait, or will they slowly creep off the pages and into my soul? Boo!
Thank you, Shortwave Publishing and NetGalley, for the DRC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 7, 2026
I Know a Place by Nat Cassidy is a novella and short story collection. It follows the same structure as Skeleton Crew by Stephen King, who Cassidy is a massive fan of and who also wrote the introduction for I Know a Place. The novella Rest Stop comes first, much like The Mist opens Skeleton Crew, followed by the short stories.
Rest Stop sets the tone for the collection, and that tone is “hold on to your butts” because anything can happen. The novella thrilled and scared me. I have not been to a rest stop since reading it, but when I do, I will probably think about this story. It is a literal locked door horror story, and the twists and turns are amazing for such a short novella.
I Know a Place contains 1 novella, 1 poem, and 10 short stories. There is also a special Barnes and Noble edition with bonus content.
I did not love every story, but the variety here means there is something for every horror fan. The collection features body horror, psychological horror, and cosmic horror. There are stories involving time travel, Santa Claus, and puppets.
Recommendations:
I Know a Place is a strong horror collection filled with memorable imagery and unique ideas. Cassidy has put scenes into my brain that I will probably never forget. I will never look at rest stops or googly eyes the same way again.
Not every story worked for me, but every story felt unique and completely different from the last. Some focus on shocking twists, while others lean into pure unsettling horror that refuses to let you look away.
I also highly recommend Shortwave Publishing. I have not read a bad book from them yet. The quality of both their books and overall presentation has been consistently excellent for an independent horror publisher.
Rest Stop sets the tone for the collection, and that tone is “hold on to your butts” because anything can happen. The novella thrilled and scared me. I have not been to a rest stop since reading it, but when I do, I will probably think about this story. It is a literal locked door horror story, and the twists and turns are amazing for such a short novella.
I Know a Place contains 1 novella, 1 poem, and 10 short stories. There is also a special Barnes and Noble edition with bonus content.
I did not love every story, but the variety here means there is something for every horror fan. The collection features body horror, psychological horror, and cosmic horror. There are stories involving time travel, Santa Claus, and puppets.
Recommendations:
I Know a Place is a strong horror collection filled with memorable imagery and unique ideas. Cassidy has put scenes into my brain that I will probably never forget. I will never look at rest stops or googly eyes the same way again.
Not every story worked for me, but every story felt unique and completely different from the last. Some focus on shocking twists, while others lean into pure unsettling horror that refuses to let you look away.
I also highly recommend Shortwave Publishing. I have not read a bad book from them yet. The quality of both their books and overall presentation has been consistently excellent for an independent horror publisher.
April 29, 2026
🔑 👁️ I Know A Place and Other Dark Detours by Nat Cassidy 👁️ 🔑
I may have squealed a little when I got approved for this one on @netgalley thanks to @shortwavebooks ! I’ve enjoyed Cassidy’s other works and was excited to read a short story collection by him.
There was not a single bad story in this bunch! I loved the variety of subjects with covered by the stories. There’s found footage, cursed media, creepy hand puppets, cults, time travel, claustrophobia, and so much more! Cassidy dips into a variety of fears that at least one of these stories should crawl under your skin and fester.
This book will release next Tuesday, May 5th! You don’t want to miss this one!
Get it here 👉🏻 https://bookshop.org/a/79577/97988973...
I may have squealed a little when I got approved for this one on @netgalley thanks to @shortwavebooks ! I’ve enjoyed Cassidy’s other works and was excited to read a short story collection by him.
There was not a single bad story in this bunch! I loved the variety of subjects with covered by the stories. There’s found footage, cursed media, creepy hand puppets, cults, time travel, claustrophobia, and so much more! Cassidy dips into a variety of fears that at least one of these stories should crawl under your skin and fester.
This book will release next Tuesday, May 5th! You don’t want to miss this one!
Get it here 👉🏻 https://bookshop.org/a/79577/97988973...
January 30, 2026
Nat Cassidy has very quickly become a favorite of mine. He has pretty much had me in a chokehold since I read Mary in 2024. I have genuinely enjoyed everything he has written, and I Know A Place was no exception.
Every story captured my attention. The pacing was excellent and each story was unique. There are a few stories that I would LOVE a novella or novel of. I just didn’t want them to end. Stephen King really wasn’t exaggerating when he said “these stories are fucking great.”
If you want to dip your toes into Nat Cassidy’s work, this is the perfect place to start. Add it to your TBR. Just do it.
HUGE thank you to NetGalley and Shortwave Publishing for the opportunity to read this arc!
Every story captured my attention. The pacing was excellent and each story was unique. There are a few stories that I would LOVE a novella or novel of. I just didn’t want them to end. Stephen King really wasn’t exaggerating when he said “these stories are fucking great.”
If you want to dip your toes into Nat Cassidy’s work, this is the perfect place to start. Add it to your TBR. Just do it.
HUGE thank you to NetGalley and Shortwave Publishing for the opportunity to read this arc!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Easiest 5 stars I've ever given!
Nat Cassidy has been on my radar for a while. I even have 2 of his other books, unread and collecting dust. I will be apologizing to those books for neglecting them, because I am an instant fan after this! I hope to read everything Cassidy has (and will ever) write.
These stories are imaginative and dark, gory and bizarre, and so SO clever. Each one blew my mind. After finishing one story, I couldn't wait to start the next, excited and anxious to see what else this author could do. It became a personal curiosity to see if he could really scare me. Every story tested my resolve in the most exhilarating way. And each time I reached the end, I could breathe a sigh of relief that I survived it.
And it STARTS with Rest Stop?!?! It's like a test of wills with that one.
(It ends with a, sort of, slam poem about fungus too. Amazing!)
I'm so impressed with how new and unique the material felt, as it often feels like everything has been done already. This short story book might freak you out, but it also might make you contemplate life on a deeper, more existential level. (Also scary!) Thank you NetGalley and Shortwave Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this early!
Nat Cassidy has been on my radar for a while. I even have 2 of his other books, unread and collecting dust. I will be apologizing to those books for neglecting them, because I am an instant fan after this! I hope to read everything Cassidy has (and will ever) write.
These stories are imaginative and dark, gory and bizarre, and so SO clever. Each one blew my mind. After finishing one story, I couldn't wait to start the next, excited and anxious to see what else this author could do. It became a personal curiosity to see if he could really scare me. Every story tested my resolve in the most exhilarating way. And each time I reached the end, I could breathe a sigh of relief that I survived it.
And it STARTS with Rest Stop?!?! It's like a test of wills with that one.
(It ends with a, sort of, slam poem about fungus too. Amazing!)
I'm so impressed with how new and unique the material felt, as it often feels like everything has been done already. This short story book might freak you out, but it also might make you contemplate life on a deeper, more existential level. (Also scary!) Thank you NetGalley and Shortwave Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this early!
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