What do you think?
Rate this book
A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow
In a split-second decision that will shatter his life, insurance salesman Jack Spinks stops to help a young woman walking alone down a back country road. After getting into his truck the mysterious young woman grabs the steering wheel and forces the truck off the road, sending it plunging over a cliff and into the woods. What begins as a simple act of kindness spirals into a nightmare as Jack finds himself trapped in a dark and perilous world, hunted by the woman's cryptic pursuers. As he fights for survival, Jack's journey uncovers a haunting connection to his own past—one that may hold the key to unraveling the mystery and escaping the deadly forces closing in on him.
From the highly acclaimed author of A Single Shot, A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow is a pulse-pounding crime thriller that weaves together psychological suspense and a gripping mystery, where every step brings Jack closer to a truth he's long buried—and forces him to confront who, or what, he can truly trust.
From the highly acclaimed author of A Single Shot, A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow is a pulse-pounding crime thriller that weaves together psychological suspense and a gripping mystery, where every step brings Jack closer to a truth he's long buried—and forces him to confront who, or what, he can truly trust.
Audible Audio
Published January 27, 2026
11 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
Matthew F. Jones
9 books23 followersMatthew F. Jones, is an American novelist and screenwriter who grew up in rural upstate New York and currently lives in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
February 21, 2026
I thought overall that this story was brilliant. I think this definitely leans more towards being a crime thriller but there are some very interesting psychological aspects too.
Basically it's a story about a man who makes a split second decision, trying to just be a good dude and it sets off a series of events and spirals into absolute insanity. There is a lot going on and you're going to find yourself questioning reality and motives. It's pretty obvious that Jack might not be completely okay....
Basically it's a story about a man who makes a split second decision, trying to just be a good dude and it sets off a series of events and spirals into absolute insanity. There is a lot going on and you're going to find yourself questioning reality and motives. It's pretty obvious that Jack might not be completely okay....
June 26, 2025
(Thank you for the opportunity to read this as an ARC)
This story certainly has a gripping premise.
The atmosphere is there, the mystery is there, the intrigue is there - but I had issues with this novel that I just couldn’t look past.
It’s a confusing read - and not just in a stylistic way. From page 1 I found the flow of sentences to be choppy, running on, and (perhaps) lacking a proof-read?
“…He pulled her forcefully into the cab the girl, half coming-out of her shirt…”
“In the next second the cab was filling up with water and Spinks realized they’d crashed into a massive maple tree felled mid-stream in a brook running hard with late spring run-off from the mountain at the hollow’s top.”
It just made the novel difficult to read and I think it would benefit from a little more fine tuning.
Another thing I struggled to look past was the random erotica and the way the female character is described. It’s not beneficial to the story and just comes across as perverted.
We have the main woman being stripped out of her clothes within chapter 1 and by the end of the chapter we have in depth descriptions of her pubic hair and her breast size…
Like I said, there’s potential here and the novel is very atmospheric, however it (currently) isn’t something I would recommend to people.
This story certainly has a gripping premise.
The atmosphere is there, the mystery is there, the intrigue is there - but I had issues with this novel that I just couldn’t look past.
It’s a confusing read - and not just in a stylistic way. From page 1 I found the flow of sentences to be choppy, running on, and (perhaps) lacking a proof-read?
“…He pulled her forcefully into the cab the girl, half coming-out of her shirt…”
“In the next second the cab was filling up with water and Spinks realized they’d crashed into a massive maple tree felled mid-stream in a brook running hard with late spring run-off from the mountain at the hollow’s top.”
It just made the novel difficult to read and I think it would benefit from a little more fine tuning.
Another thing I struggled to look past was the random erotica and the way the female character is described. It’s not beneficial to the story and just comes across as perverted.
We have the main woman being stripped out of her clothes within chapter 1 and by the end of the chapter we have in depth descriptions of her pubic hair and her breast size…
Like I said, there’s potential here and the novel is very atmospheric, however it (currently) isn’t something I would recommend to people.
July 26, 2025
I read this novel straight through, taking breaks only to be certain I was in fact sitting safely in my living room. There was an urgency to the writing that made me feel like I was watching the story unfold in real time. From the opening paragraph I was pulled into this dark, mysterious, occasionally hallucinogenic, sometime terrifying world, and couldn’t turn away until the novel’s shocking yet, thankfully, redemptive end.
I’m not sure what genre to call ‘A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow’ – noir, literary fiction, psychological thriller with a touch of horror. This novel is all those things and as twisty and unpredictable as real life. If you’re looking for conventional storytelling this isn’t it - the characters, plot lines, the world, cut against the stereotypes and conventions of much of contemporary fiction. It’s partly for me what made the novel such a compelling read. The characters are multi-dimensional and hard to figure out. For much of the novel you’re never certain if Jack Spinks, the novel’s deeply troubled protagonist, is a good or bad man or what his motives are until, suddenly, it all makes sense.
A truly stunning novel, unlike anything else I’ve read. Highly recommended.
August 14, 2025
Veteran Jack Spinks is driving when he sees a young woman stumble out of the trees to the side of the road. Deciding to be a good Samaritan, he stops to help her, and his whole life changes in an instant. The girl is obviously traumatized, but when a car blocks his path, she freaks out, claiming demons are out to kill her. This leads to them having to trek over a mountain and through woods, and Spinks starts to wonder about his own sanity as the night progresses.
This is one of those books where you don't know what is going on, and if things are as they seem. A great concept, though I struggled with the writing style. Still a great story and well worth a read.
This is one of those books where you don't know what is going on, and if things are as they seem. A great concept, though I struggled with the writing style. Still a great story and well worth a read.
August 17, 2025
Matthew F. Jone’s latest book A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow is an intriguing page turner full of action from the very first page. I couldn’t believe how quickly I was drawn into the story. I typically shy away from mysteries and psychological thrillers of any sort, but this book hooked me in immediately.
Each page provides you with a little bit more information about the characters, and details of the story and circumstance with added surprises along the way. I couldn’t believe how my first impressions of the characters changed the more I got into the novel. I was shocked how who I thought the characters were at the beginning turned into the characters who they were at the end. Good guys to bad guys- can this be for real? It takes a lot of expertise and imagination to deceive the reader in this way.
This novel has so many twists and turns that you have to pay close attention to each sentence so you don’t miss a detail. There is no drifting off to sleep with this book. The descriptions are so real that you feel you are right there in the woods with them. The plot thickens, and the book has a very startling ending.
The author includes discussion questions at the end of the book, which I appreciate as I am part of a book club.
Each page provides you with a little bit more information about the characters, and details of the story and circumstance with added surprises along the way. I couldn’t believe how my first impressions of the characters changed the more I got into the novel. I was shocked how who I thought the characters were at the beginning turned into the characters who they were at the end. Good guys to bad guys- can this be for real? It takes a lot of expertise and imagination to deceive the reader in this way.
This novel has so many twists and turns that you have to pay close attention to each sentence so you don’t miss a detail. There is no drifting off to sleep with this book. The descriptions are so real that you feel you are right there in the woods with them. The plot thickens, and the book has a very startling ending.
The author includes discussion questions at the end of the book, which I appreciate as I am part of a book club.
August 9, 2025
So glad I had the chance to read this book early since I loved the author’s first book, A Single Shot.
From the very first page I was drawn in and finished the book in short order. Loved it but kept the light on at bedtime just in case. Highly recommend!
From the very first page I was drawn in and finished the book in short order. Loved it but kept the light on at bedtime just in case. Highly recommend!
January 28, 2026
Great book from a great author!
Not much to add to the other favorable reviews, but I have to note that I truly don’t understand the (thankfully small) number of reviewers who criticized the writing style as “bad,” “weak,” and full of “run-on sentences.” Jones’ sentences are often long and complex, and I occasionally had to reread them to fully digest. But every time I did, I was struck by the raw lyricism of Jones’ prose, and by how well his sentences held together upon close inspection (as a matter of both style and, yes, grammar). It’s fine if Jones is not your cup of tea, just don’t confuse that with “bad” writing.
Also, a “run-on sentence” is not just a sentence you think is too long. It is a specific and “wholly unacceptable” grammatical construction, namely, two independent clauses, not joined by a conjunction, with no punctuation between them. (Garner, Modern English Usage). I don’t remember any of those in my read. Jones might make artistic use of comma splices (two independent clauses joined by a comma), but that is relatively common in fiction, not “wholly unacceptable.”
I’m sorry, but it just really grinds my gears when people masquerade their stylistic preferences as criticisms of skill or technique, especially when Jones so clearly has both in spades.
Not much to add to the other favorable reviews, but I have to note that I truly don’t understand the (thankfully small) number of reviewers who criticized the writing style as “bad,” “weak,” and full of “run-on sentences.” Jones’ sentences are often long and complex, and I occasionally had to reread them to fully digest. But every time I did, I was struck by the raw lyricism of Jones’ prose, and by how well his sentences held together upon close inspection (as a matter of both style and, yes, grammar). It’s fine if Jones is not your cup of tea, just don’t confuse that with “bad” writing.
Also, a “run-on sentence” is not just a sentence you think is too long. It is a specific and “wholly unacceptable” grammatical construction, namely, two independent clauses, not joined by a conjunction, with no punctuation between them. (Garner, Modern English Usage). I don’t remember any of those in my read. Jones might make artistic use of comma splices (two independent clauses joined by a comma), but that is relatively common in fiction, not “wholly unacceptable.”
I’m sorry, but it just really grinds my gears when people masquerade their stylistic preferences as criticisms of skill or technique, especially when Jones so clearly has both in spades.
July 23, 2025
Full disclosure. I’ve been a major fan of everything Jones has written since I read “The Cooter Farm” way back in the 1990s and have never understood why his work has not gotten more main stream attention. Perhaps it’s because Jones does not write formulaic fiction or ‘comfortable’ fiction. Nor does he follow trends. You cannot label his work as this or that genre. Each of his novels is unique unto itself, like a great painting.
“A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow” – his first new novel in over fifteen years – is no exception. It is a stunning, absolute page-turning work of art by a uniquely talented writer. One gets the sense in reading the novel that Jones carefully choses every word he writes. This makes for a gripping read, where one has to pay attention to every sentence. They all matter. There is no fluff in Jones’s prose. It challenges the reader to pay attention and rewards those who do with a story that comes together over the course of the novel like a finely handcrafted tapestry. Jack Spinks, the novel’s protagonist, is a complicated man. Sharing time with him can be a bit uncomfortable, even disorienting. At times he - as well as the novel itself - is outright frightening. At other times it is haunting, heart-wrenching, moving, even humorous in unexpected places. In short, Jack Spinks is authentic. He is a real person haunted by demons. Over the course of the novel we find out why – a truly stunning reveal that brings the two alternating story lines of the novel together and sets it on an even more pulse-pounding course to its heart-stopping end. As intricate as the story is, it moves like a bullet. I could not stop reading it. Jones’s prose is truly his own, he mimics no one, and, for me, it is absolutely captivating. And the dialogue is spot on for the world and the people inhabiting it. For readers who love literary thrillers or for anyone who just loves great writing, of whatever genre, I can’t recommend ‘A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow’ highly enough.
EHW
“A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow” – his first new novel in over fifteen years – is no exception. It is a stunning, absolute page-turning work of art by a uniquely talented writer. One gets the sense in reading the novel that Jones carefully choses every word he writes. This makes for a gripping read, where one has to pay attention to every sentence. They all matter. There is no fluff in Jones’s prose. It challenges the reader to pay attention and rewards those who do with a story that comes together over the course of the novel like a finely handcrafted tapestry. Jack Spinks, the novel’s protagonist, is a complicated man. Sharing time with him can be a bit uncomfortable, even disorienting. At times he - as well as the novel itself - is outright frightening. At other times it is haunting, heart-wrenching, moving, even humorous in unexpected places. In short, Jack Spinks is authentic. He is a real person haunted by demons. Over the course of the novel we find out why – a truly stunning reveal that brings the two alternating story lines of the novel together and sets it on an even more pulse-pounding course to its heart-stopping end. As intricate as the story is, it moves like a bullet. I could not stop reading it. Jones’s prose is truly his own, he mimics no one, and, for me, it is absolutely captivating. And the dialogue is spot on for the world and the people inhabiting it. For readers who love literary thrillers or for anyone who just loves great writing, of whatever genre, I can’t recommend ‘A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow’ highly enough.
EHW
June 21, 2025
Jack Spinks is a good man, yet has a very dark side as well. It's a dark side that's merited for the life he's had to live. Who's to say when violence is justified and when it's not?
Jack meets a strange girl on the hollow that somehow reminds him of his passed away daughter. It's takes awhile, and it isn't at all linear, to get to the story of what happened to Jack's wife and daughter. It's a very sad story indeed. The girl is mixed up in some bad people. Are they demons or are they just very demonic men? Is there a difference? Iris, the young girl, has a story herself, and it's a very sad one too.
This is a depressing tale, not going to sugar coat it, but it's just flows so beautifully. This is a very different book than the author's first novel. He's come a long way in his writing.
This story was mixed around and coming at you from different angles, but if you stick with it, it comes together at the end.
I love unreliable narrator tales. And this definitely that. You never know who's good , or evil , shadow , or ghost. If I had to call this novel a certain genre, it would probably be southern noir magical realism. Which is my absolute favorite. 4 stars , highly recommended.
Jack meets a strange girl on the hollow that somehow reminds him of his passed away daughter. It's takes awhile, and it isn't at all linear, to get to the story of what happened to Jack's wife and daughter. It's a very sad story indeed. The girl is mixed up in some bad people. Are they demons or are they just very demonic men? Is there a difference? Iris, the young girl, has a story herself, and it's a very sad one too.
This is a depressing tale, not going to sugar coat it, but it's just flows so beautifully. This is a very different book than the author's first novel. He's come a long way in his writing.
This story was mixed around and coming at you from different angles, but if you stick with it, it comes together at the end.
I love unreliable narrator tales. And this definitely that. You never know who's good , or evil , shadow , or ghost. If I had to call this novel a certain genre, it would probably be southern noir magical realism. Which is my absolute favorite. 4 stars , highly recommended.
July 13, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Regal Houses Publishing for this book!
I. Am. Frightened.
For the first hundred or less pages I was frikking SCARED! And when the story goes ahead I was less scared but more understanding about it, and I don't know, I am really happy to have read it! I found the writing style really good, really deep into the darkness that the author want to express, I think this is a really good book!
So thank you again and good job, I hope to see this translated someday into my country ❤️
I. Am. Frightened.
For the first hundred or less pages I was frikking SCARED! And when the story goes ahead I was less scared but more understanding about it, and I don't know, I am really happy to have read it! I found the writing style really good, really deep into the darkness that the author want to express, I think this is a really good book!
So thank you again and good job, I hope to see this translated someday into my country ❤️
July 28, 2025
An excellent, excellent book. Great plot, but as importantly so well crafted, well written. Great background with back-and-forth scenes to tie in the angst of our protagonist. As well, the similes the author uses are so spot on, not over the top, very subtle and really puts you right there. Cleverly put together where so many aspects tie in together. Comes full circle. A page burner, tough to put down. Hated to have it end. Hopefully, more to come from Mr. Jones?
December 3, 2025
Immediately pulled in and held me until the finish works as a thriller but also as a interesting psychological portrait of a deeply scarred person who eventually seems to find some form of redemption
October 13, 2025
Loved the writing and was immersed in two compelling stories throughout. A tragic and tender account of evil, love, war, and forgiveness.
February 16, 2026
A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow by Matthew F. Jones is a dark, simmering Appalachian noir set deep in the hills of West Virginia. The story follows a troubled man returning to Black Cat Hollow—a place heavy with memory, resentment, and unfinished business—only to find that the past hasn’t loosened its grip. His attempt to help a mysterious woman on the road sends them both plunging into the depths of the woods where they are hunted but by who? Old loyalties, family tensions, and buried violence resurface, pulling him into a reckoning that feels both personal and inevitable.
Jones writes with a raw, almost brutal honesty. The landscape is stark and isolating, mirroring the emotional terrain of the characters. Black Cat Hollow itself becomes more than a setting—it’s a pressure cooker of generational pain, pride, and moral ambiguity. Every decision carries weight, and the slow burn builds toward consequences that are as tragic as they are unavoidable.
If you’re drawn to crime fiction that’s literary, character-driven, and steeped in atmosphere—where the real conflict is as internal as it is external—this novel delivers a haunting, unforgettable descent into reckoning and revenge.
Jones writes with a raw, almost brutal honesty. The landscape is stark and isolating, mirroring the emotional terrain of the characters. Black Cat Hollow itself becomes more than a setting—it’s a pressure cooker of generational pain, pride, and moral ambiguity. Every decision carries weight, and the slow burn builds toward consequences that are as tragic as they are unavoidable.
If you’re drawn to crime fiction that’s literary, character-driven, and steeped in atmosphere—where the real conflict is as internal as it is external—this novel delivers a haunting, unforgettable descent into reckoning and revenge.
June 25, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Stayed up all night with this one. Not because I had to, but because the book refused to let me go until it had properly haunted my soul.
A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow is spiritual horror soaked in backwoods dread, grief, and poetry sharp enough to draw blood. Jack Spinks is spiraling through memory, war trauma, guilt, and a forest that seems sentient—or maybe just vengeful. There are demons (literal and emotional), dead girls, and a crow with enough judgment in its beady little eyes to make you question your life choices.
By the end, I was emotionally raw, spiritually shaken, and deeply suspicious of every tree, shadow, and piece of metaphorical dialogue.
So why four stars?
Because the first 80 pages felt like trying to understand a dream told by a haunted man on benzos. Gorgeous? Yes. Confusing? Also yes. Took me a bit to latch on, but once it clicked, I was feral.
This book is not here to comfort you. It’s here to stare at your wounds and ask, “What if this is holy?”
Dark, lyrical, gutting—and I loved (almost) every second of it.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, and to the crow in the story for staring directly into my soul and finding me unworthy. You were right.
Stayed up all night with this one. Not because I had to, but because the book refused to let me go until it had properly haunted my soul.
A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow is spiritual horror soaked in backwoods dread, grief, and poetry sharp enough to draw blood. Jack Spinks is spiraling through memory, war trauma, guilt, and a forest that seems sentient—or maybe just vengeful. There are demons (literal and emotional), dead girls, and a crow with enough judgment in its beady little eyes to make you question your life choices.
By the end, I was emotionally raw, spiritually shaken, and deeply suspicious of every tree, shadow, and piece of metaphorical dialogue.
So why four stars?
Because the first 80 pages felt like trying to understand a dream told by a haunted man on benzos. Gorgeous? Yes. Confusing? Also yes. Took me a bit to latch on, but once it clicked, I was feral.
This book is not here to comfort you. It’s here to stare at your wounds and ask, “What if this is holy?”
Dark, lyrical, gutting—and I loved (almost) every second of it.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, and to the crow in the story for staring directly into my soul and finding me unworthy. You were right.
September 29, 2025
Netgalley ARC - as ever, thank you for the opportunity to read and review.
A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow was totally not what I expected, and that wasn’t a bad thing. Drawn in by the supernatural aspect I was ready for a whole different experience to what I was left to play over in my mind.
Being an ARC I had to really concentrate, often repeating paragraphs to truly understand what was being envisioned, but that did not detract from a very engaging story that builds in suspense and then veers off in many different tangents.
The character profiles are solid, and the time hops build on this really well. There were occasionally events where I was left questioning how or what was going on, and some parts I struggled to form in my mind, but not enough to detract from the story.
I look forward to seeing the published novel and recommending it highly.
A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow was totally not what I expected, and that wasn’t a bad thing. Drawn in by the supernatural aspect I was ready for a whole different experience to what I was left to play over in my mind.
Being an ARC I had to really concentrate, often repeating paragraphs to truly understand what was being envisioned, but that did not detract from a very engaging story that builds in suspense and then veers off in many different tangents.
The character profiles are solid, and the time hops build on this really well. There were occasionally events where I was left questioning how or what was going on, and some parts I struggled to form in my mind, but not enough to detract from the story.
I look forward to seeing the published novel and recommending it highly.
November 18, 2025
This was an intense, intricate thriller, with much violence and lots of twists and turns. A guy is driving down a remote road when he stops to help a young woman who is clearly frightened. She is being chased down by someone in a car, and after crashing over a riverbank, they are on the run through the woods. There are very bad people in those woods and it's like a big jigsaw puzzle to figure out how they all fit together. This was my first book by Matthew Jones, but I dare to say that it won't be my last. The guy definitely knows how to keep the tension up!
Thanks to author, the publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.
Thanks to author, the publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.
July 10, 2025
I dont usually like mystery thrillers but this one was different. It was charged with true fear and a strange energy and emotion that gave me chills. Very well written and it didnt drag too much. It did a little bit in the middle but it kinda felt worth it once it got to some crucial points in the twisty plot points. Decent read.
September 29, 2025
Very excited to find a new author that grabs me the way Matthew F. Jones does. I couldn't put this book down! As you are reading you can't wait to see what's next.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 stars
This book is a twisty, turny, creepy, atmospheric delight, which for me was let down a little by the narration. The book follows ex-marine, now insurance salesman Spink, who is flagged down by a distraught teenage girl on a road in the middle of nowhere. What is chasing her...? Is it demons? or men? or are they one and the same...? Even when the answers reveal themselves you are still left questioning. This is a book steeped in grief, guilt and mental struggles, with violence and the darkness of mankind throughout. Unfortunately for me, the narration on the audiobook was a little odd in the pacing, with the narrator taking odd pauses that didnt make sense, as well as having the same or very similar accents for side characters, making it very confusing as to who was talking. I also struggle when it comes to male narrators trying to put on fake female accents, it was a little jarring in this one.
In all, I think this was a great book, let down by the audio, I would definitely consider getting and redoing the physical copy at some point.
Thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Media for the ALC of this audio book. All opinions in this review are my own.
This book is a twisty, turny, creepy, atmospheric delight, which for me was let down a little by the narration. The book follows ex-marine, now insurance salesman Spink, who is flagged down by a distraught teenage girl on a road in the middle of nowhere. What is chasing her...? Is it demons? or men? or are they one and the same...? Even when the answers reveal themselves you are still left questioning. This is a book steeped in grief, guilt and mental struggles, with violence and the darkness of mankind throughout. Unfortunately for me, the narration on the audiobook was a little odd in the pacing, with the narrator taking odd pauses that didnt make sense, as well as having the same or very similar accents for side characters, making it very confusing as to who was talking. I also struggle when it comes to male narrators trying to put on fake female accents, it was a little jarring in this one.
In all, I think this was a great book, let down by the audio, I would definitely consider getting and redoing the physical copy at some point.
Thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Media for the ALC of this audio book. All opinions in this review are my own.
July 29, 2025
Thank you to Regal House Publishing, the author and NetGalley for a DRC in return for an honest review
⚠ Trigger warnings for moments of #ExtremeViolence #Murder/Suicide #PTSD #IntrusiveThoughts ⚠
This book is a standout in Contemporary Fiction. Told through the eyes of a totally unreliable narrator Jack Spinks, the narrative drags the reader through a single harrowing night in the Appalachian wilderness, where memory, grief, guilt and redemption bleed together like rain on a dirt road. As a character Spinks is a deeply flawed individual. He has a complex backstory and is psychologically disturbed by past events that he struggles to deal with on a daily basis - his way of coping is alcohol and drugs. A recurring theme within the narrative are mentions of demons running loose in the forest - there is plenty of evidence to suggest that the only demons are the ones that live rent free in Spinks' own head.
This is a superb book, but it was a challenging read. Speaking as a British person, I struggled with much of the dialogue as it is written in a thick Southern (US) dialect. I had to read it in a Southern drawl for it to make sense. Run-on sentences abound* (a pet hate of mine) that often span entire paragraphs and while they fit the stream-of-consciousness style of the narrator, they also make for dense, difficult reading in places. This is not a polished or easy ride, but it is a meaningful one. If you hang on in there and learn to adapt then this will be a worthwhile experience, as the storyline and imagery provided by the author Matthew F Jones are outstanding.
The atmospheric setting of the woods in this book are as much a character as Spinks, Callender and Poncet are - in the same way that the house is a character in J J Walker's 'The Flowers at Flood House'. The ever-pervading darkness of the forest mirrors the atmosphere of the text itself, casting a sense of oppressive foreboding over every scene. This is a Southern Gothic psychological horror, with a foot firmly planted in rural noir. The horror isn’t in monsters or ghosts — it’s in the moral ambiguity of the choices people make, the violence they justify and the inescapability of guilt.
The atmosphere, tension and most of all the setting, in this book, brought to mind the 1972 classic film 'Deliverance'. Both stories are brutal and psychologically disturbing and yet we lean into the uneasiness and find ourselves compelled to witness the events through to the end.
All the characters are flawed — some irredeemably so. There are no clear-cut 'good guys' and 'bad guys' If you like books with unreliable narrators who are just as broken as the people they’re fighting against, then this is the book for you.
*I feel I need to share an example of the run-on sentences, that should really be amended before publication -
Whilst this writing is evocative, it becomes quite exhausting to have run-on sentences like this on every other page. This book isn’t out until January 2026 and frankly, it’s a good thing, as I think the proofreaders have a monumental task ahead. If the final version can tame some of the more indulgent sentence structures while retaining the raw quality of Jones’ voice, this will be a real knockout.
I like the added touch of Book Club Discussion Questions at the back of the book. They will present readers with a deeper understanding of the text.
This book is a dark but beautifully written descent into one man’s personal hell. It will crawl under your skin and stay there.
#AReckoningUpBlackCatHollow #NetGalley
⚠ Trigger warnings for moments of #ExtremeViolence #Murder/Suicide #PTSD #IntrusiveThoughts ⚠
This book is a standout in Contemporary Fiction. Told through the eyes of a totally unreliable narrator Jack Spinks, the narrative drags the reader through a single harrowing night in the Appalachian wilderness, where memory, grief, guilt and redemption bleed together like rain on a dirt road. As a character Spinks is a deeply flawed individual. He has a complex backstory and is psychologically disturbed by past events that he struggles to deal with on a daily basis - his way of coping is alcohol and drugs. A recurring theme within the narrative are mentions of demons running loose in the forest - there is plenty of evidence to suggest that the only demons are the ones that live rent free in Spinks' own head.
This is a superb book, but it was a challenging read. Speaking as a British person, I struggled with much of the dialogue as it is written in a thick Southern (US) dialect. I had to read it in a Southern drawl for it to make sense. Run-on sentences abound* (a pet hate of mine) that often span entire paragraphs and while they fit the stream-of-consciousness style of the narrator, they also make for dense, difficult reading in places. This is not a polished or easy ride, but it is a meaningful one. If you hang on in there and learn to adapt then this will be a worthwhile experience, as the storyline and imagery provided by the author Matthew F Jones are outstanding.
The atmospheric setting of the woods in this book are as much a character as Spinks, Callender and Poncet are - in the same way that the house is a character in J J Walker's 'The Flowers at Flood House'. The ever-pervading darkness of the forest mirrors the atmosphere of the text itself, casting a sense of oppressive foreboding over every scene. This is a Southern Gothic psychological horror, with a foot firmly planted in rural noir. The horror isn’t in monsters or ghosts — it’s in the moral ambiguity of the choices people make, the violence they justify and the inescapability of guilt.
The atmosphere, tension and most of all the setting, in this book, brought to mind the 1972 classic film 'Deliverance'. Both stories are brutal and psychologically disturbing and yet we lean into the uneasiness and find ourselves compelled to witness the events through to the end.
All the characters are flawed — some irredeemably so. There are no clear-cut 'good guys' and 'bad guys' If you like books with unreliable narrators who are just as broken as the people they’re fighting against, then this is the book for you.
*I feel I need to share an example of the run-on sentences, that should really be amended before publication -
“He recalled Callender telling him that a few years back he'd found Jesus and been born again and Spinks wondering what good being born more than once into a world that had him trapped and crippled in a sixty-foot hole rapidly filling with water was doing him and that he would have been better off if he'd foregone his second birth for swimming lessons.”
Whilst this writing is evocative, it becomes quite exhausting to have run-on sentences like this on every other page. This book isn’t out until January 2026 and frankly, it’s a good thing, as I think the proofreaders have a monumental task ahead. If the final version can tame some of the more indulgent sentence structures while retaining the raw quality of Jones’ voice, this will be a real knockout.
I like the added touch of Book Club Discussion Questions at the back of the book. They will present readers with a deeper understanding of the text.
This book is a dark but beautifully written descent into one man’s personal hell. It will crawl under your skin and stay there.
#AReckoningUpBlackCatHollow #NetGalley
August 31, 2025
She lunged at the cab of his truck. Marine veteran, now insurance salesman Jack Spinks “wasn’t sure if the edge in her voice was a manifestation of anger, fear, shock or lunacy.” Yanking open the Durango’s passenger door, she hollered that “demons” were after her. “The girl, taking advantage of his diverted attention…jammed the gas pedal to the floor…” sending the truck careening down a fifty-foot bank into a stream. In pursuit, a dark vehicle with orange running lights, carried two travelers she claimed wanted her dead. Jack Spinks, Good Samaritan, saves a life! To the occupants of the vehicle with orange running lights, it appears that Spinks has kidnapped a young, scantily clothed girl. And so begins this unsettling thriller filled with contradiction, jump-started with Spinks’ dilemma. Is she telling the truth or is she a “stone liar or delusional?”
She appears to resemble Jack’s young daughter Iris, an incentive to carry the mumbling, incoherent girl out of harm’s way and deep into the woods. Are the woods safe? There are dark shadows and shapes “darting through the air”. Branches breaking and mournful cries fill the void signaling danger. Jack had an eerie feeling that the eyes of Sheriff Grey Poncet and Deputy Carl Ames “were moving across the water toward him and the girl like two invisible light beams.” The men claim to be police officers…are they?
As an insurance salesman, Jack Spinks had just made an insurance pitch at the home of Sebastian Poe. Funny, three young girls, wearing clothing similar to the rescued girl, waved to him through a window. Jack was tipsy and stoned when he left Poe’s dwelling for home and traveled up Black Cat Hollow Road.
Even more unsettling were Jack's memories of his tours in Afghanistan. He remembers, in detail, saving the life of a fellow Marine who fell into a deep hole, talking to him for hours, waiting for help to arrive. Jack’s uncomfortable, gnawing feeling was realized when he was apprised of the accident which claimed the lives of his wife and daughter while he was on the battlefield saving another.
A question arose- Was Jack Spinks’ unimaginable, brutal night in the woods a tormented fever dream created by an unhinged mind? Perhaps aiding a traumatized girl, who in his mind’s eye appears more and more like Iris would strengthen his mental outlook. If the events are real, first he must survive the night. His choices are unthinkable. One must ponder whether he personifies good or evil. You, the reader, must decide!
“A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow” is a mind blowing read by author Matthew F. Jones. Highly recommended.
Thank you Laura Marie @ Regal House Publishing for the Print ARC in exchange for an honest review.
She appears to resemble Jack’s young daughter Iris, an incentive to carry the mumbling, incoherent girl out of harm’s way and deep into the woods. Are the woods safe? There are dark shadows and shapes “darting through the air”. Branches breaking and mournful cries fill the void signaling danger. Jack had an eerie feeling that the eyes of Sheriff Grey Poncet and Deputy Carl Ames “were moving across the water toward him and the girl like two invisible light beams.” The men claim to be police officers…are they?
As an insurance salesman, Jack Spinks had just made an insurance pitch at the home of Sebastian Poe. Funny, three young girls, wearing clothing similar to the rescued girl, waved to him through a window. Jack was tipsy and stoned when he left Poe’s dwelling for home and traveled up Black Cat Hollow Road.
Even more unsettling were Jack's memories of his tours in Afghanistan. He remembers, in detail, saving the life of a fellow Marine who fell into a deep hole, talking to him for hours, waiting for help to arrive. Jack’s uncomfortable, gnawing feeling was realized when he was apprised of the accident which claimed the lives of his wife and daughter while he was on the battlefield saving another.
A question arose- Was Jack Spinks’ unimaginable, brutal night in the woods a tormented fever dream created by an unhinged mind? Perhaps aiding a traumatized girl, who in his mind’s eye appears more and more like Iris would strengthen his mental outlook. If the events are real, first he must survive the night. His choices are unthinkable. One must ponder whether he personifies good or evil. You, the reader, must decide!
“A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow” is a mind blowing read by author Matthew F. Jones. Highly recommended.
Thank you Laura Marie @ Regal House Publishing for the Print ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 7, 2025
DNF’ed halfway through.
Was intrigued by the premise, and the very beginning mystery of this strange young girl taking a hold of the wheel and throwing them off the cliff side. However, the writing style and the flashbacks really muddled the text for me, and I found myself loosing that interest. There were a handful of sentences I needed to read a few times, as they felt rather cluttered and run on, really taking me out of the suspense.
“”””“Maybe to do with the hit she’d taken in the head or maybe to do with whatever before that had caused her to be walking scratched, disoriented and half-dressed down the hallow road the girl, understood Spinks, didn’t recall – or didn’t know – her age anymore than she knew her name or where’d she’d been before she’d stepped out in front of the Durango’s headlights.””””””
Was a lot of lines like that that just did not work for me. Am all for flowery language, but this was more clunk than anything.
When lines were not written to shove every word possible, the dialogue was really good. The dreamy and dazed manner the young girl was speaking in always caught my interest. Her declaring that they want her dead simply because “she was alive”, man those lines really hit. The descriptions of the surrounding forest were really well done.
I didn’t think anything about the description of the female character at first, its horror and a half naked girl is kinda par for some of it. “A girl only fifteen years old”. That was what took me back for a second, after we’ve had references to her losing her top, learning about how her wisp of pubic hair showed beneath her wet underwear, and how “each of her breasts could have fit into the palm of a small hand”. “You’re the same age as my daughter”, ya that was just a lot of weird things right on top of each other that had me side eyeing every description we’d been given.
If a fan of unreliable narrator, then this would be up one's alley. Not only is Jack a very unreliable narrator, but the girl herself is extremely unreliable and unclear about everything, and the forest that they are tracking through is a dreamlike mystery in and of itself. While it was not for me, I would recommend a read if the premise and the manner of writing is of interest.
Honest review given in exchange for an electronic ARC, via Netgalley
Was intrigued by the premise, and the very beginning mystery of this strange young girl taking a hold of the wheel and throwing them off the cliff side. However, the writing style and the flashbacks really muddled the text for me, and I found myself loosing that interest. There were a handful of sentences I needed to read a few times, as they felt rather cluttered and run on, really taking me out of the suspense.
“”””“Maybe to do with the hit she’d taken in the head or maybe to do with whatever before that had caused her to be walking scratched, disoriented and half-dressed down the hallow road the girl, understood Spinks, didn’t recall – or didn’t know – her age anymore than she knew her name or where’d she’d been before she’d stepped out in front of the Durango’s headlights.””””””
Was a lot of lines like that that just did not work for me. Am all for flowery language, but this was more clunk than anything.
When lines were not written to shove every word possible, the dialogue was really good. The dreamy and dazed manner the young girl was speaking in always caught my interest. Her declaring that they want her dead simply because “she was alive”, man those lines really hit. The descriptions of the surrounding forest were really well done.
I didn’t think anything about the description of the female character at first, its horror and a half naked girl is kinda par for some of it. “A girl only fifteen years old”. That was what took me back for a second, after we’ve had references to her losing her top, learning about how her wisp of pubic hair showed beneath her wet underwear, and how “each of her breasts could have fit into the palm of a small hand”. “You’re the same age as my daughter”, ya that was just a lot of weird things right on top of each other that had me side eyeing every description we’d been given.
If a fan of unreliable narrator, then this would be up one's alley. Not only is Jack a very unreliable narrator, but the girl herself is extremely unreliable and unclear about everything, and the forest that they are tracking through is a dreamlike mystery in and of itself. While it was not for me, I would recommend a read if the premise and the manner of writing is of interest.
Honest review given in exchange for an electronic ARC, via Netgalley
June 28, 2025
Reading the reviews for this novel it seems there's one thing that people are divided over. The narrative style the author chose to use. Some find it beautiful and gives me book a certain flair while others didn't like it at all.
I'm of the former set. I don't know if hillbilly literary prose is a thing but if it is, this book nails it. The phrasing and run on sentences of the narrative is different than a traditional book but I was really Into it. It makes you pay attention to each word for full context.
Jack Spinks is a former combat vet and now sells insurance and is a low level drug dealer in his small rural town. His wife and child died horrifically and he's not in a good place mentally.
One night driving home he's flagged down by a distraught teenage girl. When he stops to help a vehicle pulls up and the girl freaks out, takes control of his truck, and drives it into a stream where Jack has to rescue her from.
She' seems to not be all there and talks about demons chasing her trying to kill her among other cryptic things. I won't say anything else about the plot except that by the end Jack is going to kill several people and the situation is going to go off the rails really quick.
But is it real? Is there actually a girl? Are the people chasing them demons in disguise or just monsterous humans? Throughout the novel those questions will arise again and again. Because Jack might be a generally good guy but he doesn't seem bothered with killing.
Even the answers at the end will leave you with doubts as to some of it because this is a novel about grief, guilt, and mental illness and a couple of people caught up in a twisted circumstance they don't know how to navigate. It does this with scenes of violence and the possibility that this might all be a delusion. But you'll have to read to find out and it's definitely worth your time to do so. I highly recommend it.
I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
I'm of the former set. I don't know if hillbilly literary prose is a thing but if it is, this book nails it. The phrasing and run on sentences of the narrative is different than a traditional book but I was really Into it. It makes you pay attention to each word for full context.
Jack Spinks is a former combat vet and now sells insurance and is a low level drug dealer in his small rural town. His wife and child died horrifically and he's not in a good place mentally.
One night driving home he's flagged down by a distraught teenage girl. When he stops to help a vehicle pulls up and the girl freaks out, takes control of his truck, and drives it into a stream where Jack has to rescue her from.
She' seems to not be all there and talks about demons chasing her trying to kill her among other cryptic things. I won't say anything else about the plot except that by the end Jack is going to kill several people and the situation is going to go off the rails really quick.
But is it real? Is there actually a girl? Are the people chasing them demons in disguise or just monsterous humans? Throughout the novel those questions will arise again and again. Because Jack might be a generally good guy but he doesn't seem bothered with killing.
Even the answers at the end will leave you with doubts as to some of it because this is a novel about grief, guilt, and mental illness and a couple of people caught up in a twisted circumstance they don't know how to navigate. It does this with scenes of violence and the possibility that this might all be a delusion. But you'll have to read to find out and it's definitely worth your time to do so. I highly recommend it.
I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
December 7, 2025
Via Netgalley kun je boeken lezen en aanvragen die nog niet uitgekomen zijn. Zo kan het dat ik nu al mijn eerste titel uit 2026 heb gelezen. A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow van Matthew F. Jones is bij vlagen een onderhoudende horror, maar als geheel voelt het verhaal nogal onevenwichtig aan.
Spinks stopt met zijn auto aan een verlaten weg om een jonge vrouw die zegt in gevaar te zijn te helpen. Wat een goede, medemenselijke daad lijkt, wordt een nachtmerrie wanneer Spinks en de jonge vrouw uit de handen van hun achtervolgers moeten zien te blijven. Maar is Spinks zelf wel zo onschuldig als hij lijkt?
Leuk
Laat mij beginnen te zeggen dat ik het uitgangspunt van A Reckoning up Black Cat Hollow erg leuk vind. Een man denkt een vrouw te redden, maar als lezer heb je al snel door dat Spinks’ visie op de zaken nogal onbetrouwbaar is en dat hij misschien helemaal niet zo onschuldig is als in eerste instantie lijkt. Dat vond ik een erg leuk gegeven waar Jones op een leuke manier mee speelt.
Op een bepaald moment werd ik echter nogal moe van alle dubbele bodems. Zo’n beetje op iedere pagina vraagt een personage zich af of andere personages wel te vertrouwen zijn en of de eigen visie – door allerlei persoonlijke zaken – niet vertroebeld is. Dat is in het begin nog best leuk, maar uiteindelijk is het vooral heel erg vermoeiend en kon het me vrij weinig meer schelen welk personage nu goed is en welk personage nu kwaadaardig is.
Focus
Daarnaast mist het verhaal focus. Jones wil simpelweg veel te veel. Hij wil Spinks’ verleden uit de doeken doen, hij wil een verhaal schrijven waarin het totaal onduidelijk is wie aan de goede en wie aan de slechte kant staat, hij laat heel lang in het midden wat voor soort horror dit nu is en probeert te hinten naar verschillende subgenres en hij wil door de setting in het bos en de mogelijk bovennatuurlijke krachten een soort Lynchiaanse sfeer creëren.
En het jammerlijke is dat geen van die pogingen echt werkt. A Reckoning up Black Cat Hollow is een allegaartje van ideeën, maar geen van die ideeën wordt echt goed uitgewerkt. Ik verloor dan ook al snel de interesse in het verhaal en de personages en heb driekwart van het boek met halve aandacht gelezen.
Griezelen
Het laat maar weer eens zien dat horror helemaal niet zo’n makkelijk genre om te schrijven is. Het is behoorlijk moeilijk om de lezer te laten griezelen en van griezelen was voor mij bij dit verhaal geen sprake. Nee, A Reckoning up Black Cat Hollow was ‘m helaas niet voor mij. Het doet me de uitstekende horror die ik dit jaar al heb gelezen gelukkig nog meer waarderen.
blogpost
Spinks stopt met zijn auto aan een verlaten weg om een jonge vrouw die zegt in gevaar te zijn te helpen. Wat een goede, medemenselijke daad lijkt, wordt een nachtmerrie wanneer Spinks en de jonge vrouw uit de handen van hun achtervolgers moeten zien te blijven. Maar is Spinks zelf wel zo onschuldig als hij lijkt?
Leuk
Laat mij beginnen te zeggen dat ik het uitgangspunt van A Reckoning up Black Cat Hollow erg leuk vind. Een man denkt een vrouw te redden, maar als lezer heb je al snel door dat Spinks’ visie op de zaken nogal onbetrouwbaar is en dat hij misschien helemaal niet zo onschuldig is als in eerste instantie lijkt. Dat vond ik een erg leuk gegeven waar Jones op een leuke manier mee speelt.
Op een bepaald moment werd ik echter nogal moe van alle dubbele bodems. Zo’n beetje op iedere pagina vraagt een personage zich af of andere personages wel te vertrouwen zijn en of de eigen visie – door allerlei persoonlijke zaken – niet vertroebeld is. Dat is in het begin nog best leuk, maar uiteindelijk is het vooral heel erg vermoeiend en kon het me vrij weinig meer schelen welk personage nu goed is en welk personage nu kwaadaardig is.
Focus
Daarnaast mist het verhaal focus. Jones wil simpelweg veel te veel. Hij wil Spinks’ verleden uit de doeken doen, hij wil een verhaal schrijven waarin het totaal onduidelijk is wie aan de goede en wie aan de slechte kant staat, hij laat heel lang in het midden wat voor soort horror dit nu is en probeert te hinten naar verschillende subgenres en hij wil door de setting in het bos en de mogelijk bovennatuurlijke krachten een soort Lynchiaanse sfeer creëren.
En het jammerlijke is dat geen van die pogingen echt werkt. A Reckoning up Black Cat Hollow is een allegaartje van ideeën, maar geen van die ideeën wordt echt goed uitgewerkt. Ik verloor dan ook al snel de interesse in het verhaal en de personages en heb driekwart van het boek met halve aandacht gelezen.
Griezelen
Het laat maar weer eens zien dat horror helemaal niet zo’n makkelijk genre om te schrijven is. Het is behoorlijk moeilijk om de lezer te laten griezelen en van griezelen was voor mij bij dit verhaal geen sprake. Nee, A Reckoning up Black Cat Hollow was ‘m helaas niet voor mij. Het doet me de uitstekende horror die ik dit jaar al heb gelezen gelukkig nog meer waarderen.
blogpost
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I wanted to like this book. Truly. A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow has atmosphere for days. Creepy roads, ominous woods, a sense that something bad is about to happen if you just keep driving. All excellent ingredients for a solid thriller. Unfortunately, the story kept tripping over itself every time it described the young girl at the center of the mystery.
From the moment she appears, the focus lands less on who she is and more on how she looks. And not in a way that adds tension, symbolism, or character depth. It reads like a checklist of details that no reader actually needed and many readers actively wished would stop. The effect is less “unsettling mystery” and more “sir, why are you describing this.”
I understand that thrillers often rely on unreliable narrators and uneasy encounters. That does not mean every female character has to be filtered through a lens that feels oddly fixated and distractingly male. Instead of heightening suspense, these descriptions repeatedly pulled me right out of the story and made me question the author’s priorities rather than the plot.
Which is frustrating, because the setting really works. Black Cat Hollow is moody, isolating, and genuinely eerie. The pacing is decent, the tension builds, and there is a good story trying to fight its way to the surface. It just keeps getting overshadowed by writing choices that feel unnecessary at best and uncomfortable at worst.
I kept reading hoping the book would course correct or at least justify the early fixation. It did not. The atmosphere stayed strong. The character work did not improve. By the end, I felt more annoyed than unsettled, which is not the emotional payoff I look for in a thriller.
Strong setting, decent suspense, but derailed by awkward and distracting descriptions of a young female character that add nothing and cost the book a lot. Two stars, because the hollow itself deserved better than this particular reckoning.
From the moment she appears, the focus lands less on who she is and more on how she looks. And not in a way that adds tension, symbolism, or character depth. It reads like a checklist of details that no reader actually needed and many readers actively wished would stop. The effect is less “unsettling mystery” and more “sir, why are you describing this.”
I understand that thrillers often rely on unreliable narrators and uneasy encounters. That does not mean every female character has to be filtered through a lens that feels oddly fixated and distractingly male. Instead of heightening suspense, these descriptions repeatedly pulled me right out of the story and made me question the author’s priorities rather than the plot.
Which is frustrating, because the setting really works. Black Cat Hollow is moody, isolating, and genuinely eerie. The pacing is decent, the tension builds, and there is a good story trying to fight its way to the surface. It just keeps getting overshadowed by writing choices that feel unnecessary at best and uncomfortable at worst.
I kept reading hoping the book would course correct or at least justify the early fixation. It did not. The atmosphere stayed strong. The character work did not improve. By the end, I felt more annoyed than unsettled, which is not the emotional payoff I look for in a thriller.
Strong setting, decent suspense, but derailed by awkward and distracting descriptions of a young female character that add nothing and cost the book a lot. Two stars, because the hollow itself deserved better than this particular reckoning.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book took me on a journey that I'm still not sure whether I enjoyed or not?
There was a definite style to the way the narrator read this - and having read a few other reviews, it seems this could also be just how it was written - that felt very disjointed and uncomfortable at times.
However, I did get used to it through the middle of the book and focus more on the actual content of the story - before it all went off on a tangent again.
I wonder whether this style choice was done on purpose to add that layer of disjointedness (is that even a word!?) to make the reader pay attention whilst feeling like you were slipping in and out of the main character's mind as he unravelled.
This really kept me on my toes and I had no clue at various points what was real and what was not - much like Jack.
I did, however, really like the parts where Jack reminisced about his time in service and the details of his wife and child's demise.
I think these went some way to explain just how Jack's mind worked and the ease in which he slipped in and out of reality.
There were horror elements throughout the story, but I feel that these added to the overall atmosphere more than scared me.
I liked that we were never sure who was good and who was bad, right up until the very end - which came as a surprise for me.
I feel that this unusual writing style just meant I never fully settled into this read and therefore stopped me 100% loving this - but I'm definitely glad I read this and experienced something so unique.
If you love a good thrilling read which keeps you in suspense, then you should absolutely give this one a go.
There was a definite style to the way the narrator read this - and having read a few other reviews, it seems this could also be just how it was written - that felt very disjointed and uncomfortable at times.
However, I did get used to it through the middle of the book and focus more on the actual content of the story - before it all went off on a tangent again.
I wonder whether this style choice was done on purpose to add that layer of disjointedness (is that even a word!?) to make the reader pay attention whilst feeling like you were slipping in and out of the main character's mind as he unravelled.
This really kept me on my toes and I had no clue at various points what was real and what was not - much like Jack.
I did, however, really like the parts where Jack reminisced about his time in service and the details of his wife and child's demise.
I think these went some way to explain just how Jack's mind worked and the ease in which he slipped in and out of reality.
There were horror elements throughout the story, but I feel that these added to the overall atmosphere more than scared me.
I liked that we were never sure who was good and who was bad, right up until the very end - which came as a surprise for me.
I feel that this unusual writing style just meant I never fully settled into this read and therefore stopped me 100% loving this - but I'm definitely glad I read this and experienced something so unique.
If you love a good thrilling read which keeps you in suspense, then you should absolutely give this one a go.
January 27, 2026
Thank you to Tantor Audio and Netgalley for this alc in exchange for an honest review.
I'll be honest, I only wanted to read this because the cover made it seem like it would be creepy. And while it was creepy, it was so much more! A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow is the first book I've read by author Matthew F. Jones and it definitely won't be the last.
A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow follows insurance salesman Jack Spinks as he stops on the side of the road to help a young woman. Events immediately start to spiral the moment she gets in his truck and a harrowing, confusing, and deadly journey begins. One thing I absolutely loved was how fast paced this was. Things were moving quick from chapter one and there was never a dull moment. I also really enjoyed how this seemed to straddle a line between being paranormal and mundane. Then there was Jack, what an interesting character! He seemed like an average guy initially but the way his life and past unravelled was shocking! I don't want to spoil much because his background is a big part of the story but I will say he was one of the most interesting characters I've read about in a while.
The audiobook was amazing! The narration was done by Victor Warren and it was a wonderful performance. His voice really suited such an eerie and dark story. The production was fantastic. I kept this up at about 2.5x speed and it was still very clear.
I'll be honest, I only wanted to read this because the cover made it seem like it would be creepy. And while it was creepy, it was so much more! A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow is the first book I've read by author Matthew F. Jones and it definitely won't be the last.
A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow follows insurance salesman Jack Spinks as he stops on the side of the road to help a young woman. Events immediately start to spiral the moment she gets in his truck and a harrowing, confusing, and deadly journey begins. One thing I absolutely loved was how fast paced this was. Things were moving quick from chapter one and there was never a dull moment. I also really enjoyed how this seemed to straddle a line between being paranormal and mundane. Then there was Jack, what an interesting character! He seemed like an average guy initially but the way his life and past unravelled was shocking! I don't want to spoil much because his background is a big part of the story but I will say he was one of the most interesting characters I've read about in a while.
The audiobook was amazing! The narration was done by Victor Warren and it was a wonderful performance. His voice really suited such an eerie and dark story. The production was fantastic. I kept this up at about 2.5x speed and it was still very clear.
June 23, 2025
A gloomy tale with heavy atmospheric dread that lingers longer after each chapter. A complex man haunted by his past experiences psychological turmoil as he attempts to save a stranger. It’s a poignant story that reminds us of the profound impact traumatic memories can have on our psyche.
I don’t usually read such heavy stories; however, I was intrigued by the description and thought it would be about something different altogether. I am likely not the ideal reader for this type of story; however, I appreciated the atmospheric dread and descriptive scenes. I felt the confusion and frustration the character felt as they questioned the earlier parts of the story.
The pacing was very slow, and I felt impatient to see how the different narratives would come together. There were moments when I felt lost and needed some time to make sense of how the story was unfolding. I do not usually read stories that contain psychological thrills, however, I was curious to understand the character more towards the end.
Final notes, for fans who enjoy slow-paced cerebral horror that focuses on a character’s regrets and pains, this book is for you!
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is an advance reader copy (ARC) and may contain errors or changes before final publication. My review is voluntary and reflects my personal thoughts.
I don’t usually read such heavy stories; however, I was intrigued by the description and thought it would be about something different altogether. I am likely not the ideal reader for this type of story; however, I appreciated the atmospheric dread and descriptive scenes. I felt the confusion and frustration the character felt as they questioned the earlier parts of the story.
The pacing was very slow, and I felt impatient to see how the different narratives would come together. There were moments when I felt lost and needed some time to make sense of how the story was unfolding. I do not usually read stories that contain psychological thrills, however, I was curious to understand the character more towards the end.
Final notes, for fans who enjoy slow-paced cerebral horror that focuses on a character’s regrets and pains, this book is for you!
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is an advance reader copy (ARC) and may contain errors or changes before final publication. My review is voluntary and reflects my personal thoughts.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It takes a lot for me to DNF a book, and unfortunately, I DNF'd at around 50%.
We meet Spinks, a former Marine turned drug dealer as he is left dealing in the wake of his time in combat as well as the untimely murder-suicide of his wife and daugter. When he happens across a young girl barely older than the daughter he lost, he hopes to help. But this leads him on what becomes a wild goose chase through the woods, running from what this strange young girl only says are "demons" hunting her, simply because she is alive.
The descriptions throughout the book felt choppy, forced, often running on and without making any sort of sense. We often found ourselves in flashbacks during Spinks' time overseas and when I left off, giving up on the story, I couldn't quite figure how this particular event in his life tied into the present-time story. Spinks is very unreliable, and while I normally love an unreliable narrator in a novel, adding into the mystery aspect, Spinks just felt like he belonged in a padded room in a straight-jacket versus making any sort of sense whatsoever. It is unfortunte, since I try to finish the books I am gifted with reading as an ARC, but this one just didn't hold enough interest for me to continue.
I appreciate and thank NetGalley, Regal House Publishing and the author for the ability to read as an ARC. The opinions above are that of my own.
We meet Spinks, a former Marine turned drug dealer as he is left dealing in the wake of his time in combat as well as the untimely murder-suicide of his wife and daugter. When he happens across a young girl barely older than the daughter he lost, he hopes to help. But this leads him on what becomes a wild goose chase through the woods, running from what this strange young girl only says are "demons" hunting her, simply because she is alive.
The descriptions throughout the book felt choppy, forced, often running on and without making any sort of sense. We often found ourselves in flashbacks during Spinks' time overseas and when I left off, giving up on the story, I couldn't quite figure how this particular event in his life tied into the present-time story. Spinks is very unreliable, and while I normally love an unreliable narrator in a novel, adding into the mystery aspect, Spinks just felt like he belonged in a padded room in a straight-jacket versus making any sort of sense whatsoever. It is unfortunte, since I try to finish the books I am gifted with reading as an ARC, but this one just didn't hold enough interest for me to continue.
I appreciate and thank NetGalley, Regal House Publishing and the author for the ability to read as an ARC. The opinions above are that of my own.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews