The Flayed Man

by Chloe Lauter

A complex mother-daughter relationship is taken to a new level in this fresh and propulsive novel of family curses, blood-thirsty ghouls, and budding romance set against the Mojave Desert and Las Vegas

Ellis Karsten spends nights working triage in the ER and days having the same conversation with her mom. The early onset dementia is exhausting, but the real challenge is their curse—Ellis’s family must feed daily on blood, or risk becoming mindless, skinless killing machines. When Ellis’s uncle, who supplies their blood, vanishes, she takes it upon herself to find a new source, aided by a prickly paramedic who’s equal parts unpredictable and intoxicating. But as Ellis fights to balance her bloodthirsty nature with a new relationship, her mom’s impossible demands transform into panicked warnings that a fabled monster, “The Flayed Man,” is stalking them.

As she traverses the desert in search of blood, Ellis risks her safety and her family’s secret, until it becomes clear that her mom is right: something ancient and hungry is hunting them, and it has come for her mom. Blood hunger begins to overtake Ellis, transforming her body into something ghoulish and frightening—exactly what The Flayed Man wants. In the end, she must decide who to trust, what she’s willing to sacrifice, and whether she is worthy of a life, and love, beyond her curse—or if she’s going to succumb to instinct and ravage the world.

Genres: Horror, Queer, Vampires, Horror Thriller, Lesbian, Thriller, Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

Published July 21, 2026

About the author

CHLOE LAUTER’s debut novel The Flayed Man has been praised by Kirkus, Booklist and Library Journal, is one of Debutiful’s Most Anticipated Books of the Year, and an August 2026 Indie Next pick. Chicago Review of Books called it “everything you want in a literary horror novel.”

Her work explores monstrosity, autonomy and embodiment through a horror lens. Originally from Seattle, she now lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews

[megs_bookrack · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this. The writing was great and I found myself completely invested in the story. This isn't your typical Vampire story, but I appreciated the emotional depth Lauter brought to it.

It's a Horror novel the way Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones is a Horror novel. In fact, it reminded me a lot of that book as far as the tone and family elements went; the exploration of duty to family, and self-discovery.

Full review to come...stay tuned!!!

Original:

ARC received! Thank you, Tantor!!!

[domsbookden · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5

I was not expecting to like The Flayed Man as much as I did. While it is a literary horror—a somewhat iffy subgenre for me—it opts out of more traditional vampire tropes in favor of a unique incorporation of ghoul mythology while spotlighting themes of generational trauma, parental caregiving, loneliness, and the burdens of family obligation.

A novel with a fresh take on vampires is almost always going to earn extra points from me because I find traditional vampire lore boring. The Flayed Man avoids the familiar "beautiful immortal vampire" archetype entirely—the vampires here are mortal, vulnerable, and their physical transformations are horrifying and unsettling. The mythology surrounding the Flayed Man establishes its own identity instead recycling centuries-old vampire lore, which I appreciated immensely.

Because folk horror is one of my favorite subgenres, I actually could have used even more pages devoted to the mythology, ghoul lore, and broader world-building. I think expanding those elements would have strengthened the horror in the second half of the novel even further. Based on Lauter's prose alone, I have very little doubt she could have incorporated additional lore seamlessly while maintaining the novel's emotional core.

Speaking of the prose—I adore Lauter's writing. It has a modern edge without shying away from being ornate, sensory, and poetic, striking a balance that lends itself well to an engrossing atmosphere and detailed character work. The Las Vegas/Mojave Desert backdrop feels gritty and incredibly distinct, and Ellis' constant struggle between humanity and monstrosity is rendered with remarkable emotional depth. Her role as caregiver to her mother while simultaneously hiding her family's curse creates an deep-seeded emotional journey that permeates the entire novel, and the themes of obligation, guilt, sacrifice, distrust, and inherited trauma make the horror feel more inimate.

The one element that didn't resonate with me was the budding romance between Ellis and Veer. I'm not a romance reader and I don't enjoy reading about romantic relationships, so I personally would have preferred if that page time had been dedicated to more exploration of Ellis' relationship with her mother and the mythology of the vampires. The romance wasn't poorly done by any means—it just didn't do anything for me. I suspect readers who enjoy a bit of romance woven into their horror will appreciate it much more than I did.

The final quarter of the novel becomes more action-heavy as Ellis moves closer to her inevitable encounter with the Flayed Man. While I enjoyed this section overall, I again found myself wishing for more exploration of the world's mythology, as I think it would have made the climax even more impactful. That said, Lauter excels in her descriptions of both the Flayed Man and Ellis' impending transformation. Those moments were more than compelling enough to carry the novel through to the end.

The Flayed Man is very much a horror novel that emphasizes family trauma, caregiving, and emotional relationships over nonstop scares or creature-feature action. While I consider this to be one of its greatest strengths, readers expecting a faster-paced vampire horror novel may find it slower than anticipated.

I'm always searching for nontraditional vampire stories, so I'm glad I took a chance on this amazing debut. Lauter's next release is an automatic buy for me.

I think readers who enjoyed Night's Edge by Liz Kerin and Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison will also enjoy The Flayed Man a great deal.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Cecily - MillennialBookGal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Chloe Lauter and NetGalley for the free audiobook of this novel.

I like this twist on the classic "vampire" style novel. I really liked the main female characters, they displayed a unique intimacy while dealing with Ellis's family Curse.

I enjoyed the lore of The Flayed Man, it reminded me a lot of bloody Mary or candy man. It gave the story that extra eerie feeling.

Good read.

[Nev · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw Paul Tremblay's blurb saying this was a "vampire noir meets Love Lies Bleeding" I knew I was going to have to read it. The Flayed Man is such an interesting take on vampires, I love it when authors do something unique with a well worn subject. The story overall is an exploration of a complicated mother daughter relationship, generational trauma, folklore stories becoming real, and a budding sapphic romance.

Chloe Lauter's writing is very evocative. It makes the desert setting come to life, and all the descriptions of the smells and tastes put you in the main character's shoes. The book is under 250 pages, but it definitely packs a punch. Avery May did an excellent job with the narration of the audiobook. The emotions of the characters really came through in the performance.

I'd recommend this to readers looking for some sapphic vampire horror, especially people who enjoyed Night's Edge by Liz Kerin.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Nele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this audiobook arc!

A debut novel that combines a fresh twist on the classic vampire trope with a complicated mother-daughter relationship, themes of family loyalty, and the beginning of a sapphic romance that added some tenderness to this dark story.

ER nurse Ellis goes back and forth from brutal shifts at her workplace and a tense home life where she takes care of her mother suffering from early onset dementia. Adding to their troubles is a family curse, forcing them to feed on blood daily, or risking their hunger turning them into monsters (a whole other level of hangry!). Then there are legends of the creature of “The Flayed Man”, whose real shape and lore varies depending on who is telling the story, and it seems to hunt Ellis and her mother. When their blood source runs dry, Ellis must go on a desperate search for more blood, and face The Flayed Man.

I really enjoyed this - I liked how this explores the characters’ relationships while still having a satisfying amount of blood and horror. I do feel like the mother-daughter relationship could have been fleshed out even more, but considering the length of the book, I think it was done well. I also liked the portrayal of Ellis, how she’s so loyal and protective of her mother, but also wants to be her own person, and has so much trauma and issues connected to her past and her relationship with her mother. I also liked the desert setting.

A few things - the fresh take on vampires, the complex mother-daughter relationship, the sapphic romance, the desert setting - reminded me of Night’s Edge by Liz Kerin, so readers who have enjoyed that book might like this one as well!

[Olgalijo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new take on vampires with a surprisingly literary writing style.

[Curtis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have people with dementia ever considered maybe NOT having dementia? It's honestly super annoying.

Also, the state of Gen Z vampires is extremely depressing. Now they're all too PC to kill and eat people and instead they inject themselves with blood via syringes like pathetic fucking junkies. Just kill people already! It's what your species is literally designed to do.

[Ian Mond]

If you read as much genre fiction as I do, you can’t avoid stumbling across vampire fiction, even if you’re not actively looking for it. To say vampires are ubiquitous would be like saying there’s a decent amount of water in the ocean. In the past, I’ve groaned about this because, while I love horror and Salem’s Lot is one of my all-time favourite novels, I find (or found) vampires conceptually dull.

But. In recent years, although I haven’t deliberately sought out vampire and vampire-adjacent fiction, the books I’ve read have been great. Just this year, I’ve enjoyed books like Dead Collections by Isaac Fellman and Cabaret in Flames by Hache Pueyo, the latter of which received an enthusiastic Locus review from moi. Last year I read The Midnight Shift, which, despite its bloody-lipped cover, is an inventive and rather bloodless (in a good way) vampire novel.

The Flayed Man by Chloe Lauter is as good as all these novels. What it shares with them is an interesting take on a trope that somehow, beyond all reason, keeps being reinvented. The conceit is that the vampiric condition is hereditary, a curse passed on, depending on which myth or legend you believe in, through the sexual congress between a blood-sucking monster (the “v” word is never used) and a human woman. The concept of a genetic lineage is fascinating, but it isn’t the novel’s most interesting idea. Rather, it’s that (a) other than a need for blood, none of the usual vampire stuff applies when the individual is in human form; (b) it only takes a three- to four-millilitre vial of blood, injected directly into the vein, to satiate their appetite; (c) those afflicted with the curse still need to eat regular food, even if it doesn’t taste as good; and (d) if they don’t inject every twenty-four hours, they will transform into a monster in the most dramatic and violent way possible, with bones erupting through their skin. Nice.

But even that isn’t what’s so good about The Flayed Man. It’s the fact that this is such an intimate, small tale in which what’s at stake is a daughter’s ability to care for her mother. Our protagonist, Ellis Karsten, is a nurse who works the night shift. Not because she’s a vampire (as I first thought), but because it lets her care for her mother during the day—a nuanced and cleverbit of subversion that plays with our expectations about vampire lore.*

In fact, everything Ellis does is in aid of her mother. She has no life, no friends, no hobbies, no outlet. The only person Ellis regularly sees who isn’t a co-worker or her mother is Uncle Bill, her source of blood. (He snaffles discarded blood samples from the phlebotomy lab where he works.) It’s all the more miserable because Ellis’s mother treats her daughter like shit. Yes, it’s the dementia, causing abrupt shifts in her mother’s mood—one moment needy, the next paranoid—but it’s not like their relationship was ever peachy. Ellis genuinely believes she’s never been good enough for her mother.

What I found so beautifully layered about Ellis’s relationship with her mother is that she isn’t bitter. Lonely. Yes. Guilt-ridden. Maybe. But not bitter. She loves her mother. Ellis won’t countenance killing her, no matter how often Uncle Bill suggests it. He believes his sister is ruining Ellis’s life. But he also knows, just like Ellis, that eventually her mother will lose control and be consumed by hunger. And that does not end well.

The plot kicks into gear when Uncle Bill vanishes, taking the blood with him. Desperate for the red stuff, Ellis reaches out to one of her uncle’s shady associates who lives alone in the desert. But as her bloodlust grows and she becomes increasingly unable to trust herself, Ellis leans on Veer, a co-worker she trusts and has a thing for, to accompany her on a road trip deep into the Mojave. That’s right, in among everything else we also get a messy and intense queer love story.

The Flayed Man is an emotionally complex and whip-smart vampire novel. Because it’s short and the product of a small press**, it could get lost in the morass of fiction published every week. So, here I am, bringing it to your attention.

*And look, every contemporary vampire novel does this. The vampire or vampire analogue blames Stoker and the media for spreading misinformation about vampires. There’s even something like that in The Flayed Man: “My mom and I used to laugh at the TV monsters with their cartoonish capes, the way they recoiled in the sun, the way they slept in dirt and never died.”

**Shout out to Soft Skull. This is maybe the seventh novel of theirs I’ve read, and they’ve never let me down.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am completely unsure how to review this book. I feel like it had a deeper message than just ooo vampires but I'm not sure which message to focus on. Taking care of a sick parent is hard. Trying to live your own life while doing that is hard. Trying to put yourself first is hard. But this book has the added responsibility of ending your loved ones life before they become a monster and that is so much to ask from anyone. This was a very emotional book for something about 'vampires'. Emotional vampires? Hmmm, perhaps thats a good way of putting it.

[chloë · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Flayed Man was quite different from the books I would normally pick up, but the blurb immediately caught my attention and made me want to give it a try. I’m glad I stepped outside of my usual reading comfort zone.

I really enjoyed the overall concept, and it was a nice change to read something so different from my usual genres. One of the highlights for me was the mother-daughter relationship. It felt authentic, added emotional depth to the story and is something I think many readers will be able to relate to.

My only real criticism is that I would have liked more of the Flayed Man himself. Considering he’s the title character, I was expecting him to play a larger role throughout the novel. We don’t really get to spend much time with him until the final 30% of the book, and even then his appearance felt relatively brief. I think giving him more page time and exploring his backstory in greater depth would have made his presence even more impactful.

Overall, I rated this book 3 stars. I enjoyed the story and appreciated the chance to read something outside of my usual genres. I’m glad I picked this one up and enjoyed the different take on a vampire story with a sapphic romance!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with this arc!

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Flayed Man gripped me in its claws right from the jump. Although the supernatural lore is not as fleshed out as I would have liked, the writing is excellent and the quick pacing will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Ellis is an ER nurse and caregiver to her aging mother, who suffers from early-onset dementia and a family curse that plagues them both: an insatiable need to feast on human blood. Neglecting to keep their hunger at bay will cause them to transform into hideous, ravenous, skinless monsters. With the help of Uncle Bill, Ellis and her mother manage to stay under the radar. When Uncle Bill mysteriously disappears, Ellis must figure out how to acquire enough blood to sustain her family of two and escape the looming threat of the Flayed Man.

George Orwell famously said, “Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.” Chloe Lauter’s unique sensory descriptions make The Flayed Man an excellent mentor text in this regard. Highlights include:

“A meningitic stiffness creeps up my neck.”

“She makes my name sound like a full sentence.”

“Her voice sounds like melted Jolly Ranchers, strange, sweet, and syrupy.”

“Her laugh flutters like wind chimes.”

“The cashier is young, with brown lip liner and impossible lash extensions. I smell the filed-down edges of her acrylic nails, the musk she’s drowned in vanilla floral perfume. I smell bitterness and late night diaper changes, and a stomach that wishes that it still knew how to fill with butterflies.”

A few things that missed me:

- The romance sub-plot felt disconnected from the main story line. As other reviewers have noted, I think replacing it with more exploration into the mythological lore would have elevated the story and given it a more claustrophobic feel.

- The threat of feeding or else transforming into a horrifying skinless creature is plenty scary. The personification of that threat (aka, the Flayed Man) did not feel necessary, and actually kind of worked against the body horror for me. Maybe it’s just me, but an uncontrollable terror that attacks you from within is a far more effective “villain” than any external force. The infusion of more lore into the story might have solved for this, however.

- The Reddit post/discussion board stuff confused me. Not because I don’t understand how those things work, but because I didn’t fully understand what purpose they served in the greater scheme of things. It almost felt as if the author intended to make this the first book in a series, but without that context it’s kind of giving “unfinished.”

Overall, I found this to be an engaging, well-written addition to the vampire genre and look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I would recommend this book to any fan of vampire lit who is bored of the typical overused vampire tropes and is drawn to gritty realism reminiscent of Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones or Coffin Moon by Keith Rosson.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[✩｡°⋆ Lala ⋆｡°✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

📖 Title: The Flayed Man
🖋️ Author: Chloe Lauter
🎙️ Narrator(s): Avery May
📅 Pub Day: Jul 21, 2026
💌 Publisher: Tantor Media
🎧 Format: Audiobook 
🏷️ ISBN: 9798318588907
⏱️ Length: 6h 16m 
⭐ Star Rating: 3.75

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──  

The Flayed Man has a premise I genuinely loved and the execution actually delivers on it too. Ellis is a vampire working as an ER nurse, caring for her mother who has early onset dementia, and the added layer that they both have to feed on blood daily or transform into skinless killing machines is such a specific and unsettling concept. The Las Vegas/Mojave Desert setting gives everything this dry, isolated feeling that really suits the story.

Everything goes off the rails when Ellis's uncle, who supplies their blood, suddenly vanishes. What really worked for me was how much of the horror comes from obligation instead of monsters. Ellis isn't just dealing with The Flayed Man, a dwindling blood supply, and a full time job. She's also trying to care for her mom while carrying around a curse she never asked for. The balance between the horror elements and the quieter, more intimate family story works better than I expected.

It just ended up being a little underwhelming by the end despite everything it had going for it. I wanted it to go further or hit harder than it did. It felt like it was building toward something bigger than what we actually got.

Still a solid debut and an interesting vampire story that doesn't follow any of the rules you're used to. Worth picking up if you like your horror with emotional depth.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──  

If you like:

✔️ unconventional vampires
✔️ mother daughter relationships
✔️ desert horror
✔️ body horror
✔️ family curses
✔️ emotional horror 

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Thank you to NetGalley, Chloe Lauter, and Tantor Media for gifting this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

[Lila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Notes for upcoming Library Journal review:

Ellis Karsten bounces from her job as a nurse in the ER to her apartment in Las Vegas where she lives with her mother whose dementia is becoming worse.
She was raised with stories of The Flayed Man, a mythology that is unique to each family. While her mother deteriorates physically and mentally, she tells Ellis that The Flayed Man speaks to her.
The book deals with themes of family obligation, sacrifice, love, testing limits, and loneliness all within a new take on the vampire tale. In this urban, gritty vampire story the vampires are mortal and not indestructible. Their relationship to blood is also unique to the sub genre of vampire books.
The relationship between Ellis and her mother is tense because Ellis believes she has always disappointed her mother while simultaneously feeling as if much of what her mother has told her is a lie.
One of the subplots in the book is a sapphic love story with a complex and interesting , Veer.
Readers will share Ellis’ sense of desperation and increasing paranoia as her life unspools. She clings to Veer as she fights to know who she can trust given that her mother has regularly lied to her. Ellis also battles to not let the brutal side out, the side owned by what she calls the curse, even as she loses control of her life.

Readers of complex fiction with a gritty sensibility like Andy Davidson’s In the Valley of the Sun or Hailey Piper’s strong, complex female characters will love this book. It is a blending of Davidson’s style blended with the sort of characters PIper regularly features.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Tantor Audio and Netgalley for a copy of the ALC!

The Flayed Man focuses a lot on the toxic relationship between Ellis, an ER nurse, and her elderly mother who, despite onset dementia, somehow still rules Ellis's life and guilts her from having any sort of life outside of her. Mix in the fact that they're vampires and, well, Ellis really doesn't have much going on for her. Besides the hunger always in the back of her mind, the reminder that if she and her mother do not feed daily, they will transform into bloodthirsty monsters. And the underlying threat of the Flayed Man, who may or may not be a real entity haunting their lineage. When her uncle disappears, so does their blood supply, and Ellis has to act fast to prevent either of them from starving into madness. Ellis both loves and hates her mother and has to process potentially losing her if she fails.

I felt like there was enough focus on the blossoming romance between Ellis and Veer to be satisfactory, but romance is a very low priority for me.

The genetic take on vampirism was interesting and one of the most original I've seen since... possibly since del Toro and the introduction of his parasite-based vampirism. It harkens to the transformation of werewolves, rather than the traditional monster or the modern brooding beauties.
Of all the themes explored in this book, I felt the lore around the Flayed Man could have been fleshed out more.

Avery May really brought life to the book as well. She was an excellent narrator.

[Zane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A haunting, heartfelt horror that proves monsters aren’t always the scariest thing. Some horror novels rely on blood. Others rely on monsters. The Flayed Man somehow manages to make both secondary to the emotional weight of its characters. At its heart, this is a story about family about the impossible choices we make for the people we love, the burdens we inherit, and the terrifying idea that sometimes the greatest curse isn’t supernatural… it’s generational. Ellis instantly became a protagonist I couldn’t stop rooting for. Watching her juggle caring for her mother, navigating an impossible family curse, and trying to hold onto her own humanity made every chapter emotionally gripping. The horror is brutal, unsettling, and wonderfully atmospheric, but it never overshadows the human story underneath. The Mojave Desert creates an eerie, isolated backdrop that feels almost alive, while the legend of The Flayed Man slowly creeps into the narrative until you’re questioning every shadow and every decision the characters make. There are moments of genuine dread, heartbreaking family dynamics, terrifying folklore, body horror, and even unexpected tenderness woven throughout. It’s one of those rare horror novels that leaves you thinking long after you’ve finished the final page.

If you love:
🩸 Folk horror
🖤 Family curses
🌵 Desert gothic atmosphere
🩸 Monsters with tragic depth
👁️ Emotional horror with real heart
…then this absolutely deserves a place on your shelf.

[Erin Crane]

I wish I wasn't as picky as I am, but here we are... DNF at 21%.

The vast majority of the time, I DNF because I'm bored - not because I think the book is objectively bad. That's true of this one, too. I can see why many a literary horror lover would like this.

This is about Ellis who is a vampire along with her mother. Her mother also happens to have increasing memory issues (dementia, Alzheimer's, something) which is not a good combo. There's the supposedly mythical "flayed man" figure who is looking more and more like he's a real person who is preying on them for some reason.

It's literary but definitely still has the vampiric elements front and center. The need for blood is a major plot driver. I believe the climax is a horrific showdown of some sorts - not just a moody journey.

Sounds like I should enjoy it! Well. I think it would've worked better for me if it had narrowed its focus to Ellis. No mom, no budding romance. More lore, more vamp. The device/story material of a parent with memory problems is well trod ground, and for whatever reason it's on the list of content I'm not interested in. Not that it's triggering - I have no experience with it - but it's one of those things that I'm inexplicably not-into. Along with stories about bands/music, road trips, time travel, WWII, etc. 😆

I think this story is well-written, so if you ARE into the themes and content it has, then I think it'll go well.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[En · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an unexpected journey of overcoming toxic family shackles, disguised as a vampire horror fiction. Ellis is drained by her constant need to restrain her desires, her duty to her manipulative mother, the uncertainty of an unreliable uncle, the sense of helplessness from being a sole caretaker to a loved one with dementia, and an overwhelming sense of loneliness that was aptly captured by the narrator's performance.

The Flayed Man started a tad too slow, with what felt to me like an over-introduction to Ellis' workplace, and especially Veer's group of friends. But midway, the pacing gets better, and the mystery of the Flayed Man and the escalating tension in Ellis' life from all directions kept me on the edge of my seat.

While the main horror/mystery plot was captivating, Veer's role added an extra depth to the story as she brought her own share of trauma and pain into the mix. I found myself rooting for both Ellis and Veer while wishing for more Flayed Man lore toward the end.

Overall, The Flayed Man is an exhilarating modern take on vampires, with a thought-provoking discourse on poverty and generational trauma.

[kaitlynfaithm · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Flayed Man is a thrilling sapphic horror novel with a unique and modern take on vampires. From the start, I was HOOKED. It was fast-paced and so immersive. I really appreciated the writing style and prose. The desert setting felt so perfect for this book. The relationship between the main character and her mother was so complex and intriguing and I couldn’t wait to see where it went. I ended up forming such a soft spot for the main character; I just love characters who are driven and willing to do whatever it takes for the people they love. The sapphic romance was so fun and added so much to the story. The mystery of it all had me on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t wait to find out what was truly happening.

This was such a fun and exciting book. I finished this in less than 24 hours because I simply couldn’t put it down. Definitely check this out if you love sapphic horror, modern vampires, and thrilling mysteries. I couldn’t get enough of it!

Thank you to NetGalley and RBMedia for the ALC in exchange for my review!

[Jacqui · Rating 4 out of 5]

ER nurse Ellis is exhausted. Her life revolves around work, her decaying mother who's dementia riddled mind is slowly deteriorating and an insatiable thirst for blood that threatens to destroy both their lives. After years of keeping the hunger at bay, their blood supply suddenly dries up and Ellis must find a new option before 'the flayed man' consumes them.

A refreshing new take on a vampire story, this was beautifully written and I felt as physically exhausted as Ellis by the end. The Flayed Man is both real and a representation of Ellis's need for blood, her endless hunger that rips through her body every minute. The first half was a slow burn, focusing more on Ellis's flirtation with her co-worker but the second half kicked into high gear and never let up. The body horror was much more intense than I was expecting. The last chapter was the perfect way to end the story.

I highly recommend the audio version. The narrator was great. I heard one review of this book and knew it was a must read. Beautiful debut.

RBmedia & Netgalley.

[Viktor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sapphic thriller, although paranormal with Ellis’ family’s blood-hungry curse, felt grounded in the horrors of many people nowadays: supporting an ailing parent while working a backbreaking job that can’t even pay the bills, all while trying to satiate a bloodlust that only becomes more apparent with time and around those you love. The characters all felt incredibly real and relatable, and the situation with Ellis’ mom was thoughtfully considered as dementia and the litany of other issues that arise with it begin to plague more and more real-life families today. This felt like a reimagination of what it means to deal with a curse under late-stage capitalism during the total collapse of our medical system as we know it. I highly recommend this book to those that like thrillers, are OK with blood, and are open to a compassionate yet realistically conflicting story about how we handle family when times get tough.

[Dahlia (ofpagesandprint) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

The Flayed Man is a captivating, chilling horror novel.

This one was fantastic. From the first page, Chloe Lauter swept me away with her visceral, poignant, and propulsive prose. She beautifully explored hunger, appetite, dependency, family, loneliness, and manipulation, balancing the themes with feelings of belonging and hope. The characters were vivid and compelling. The sapphic romance was beautiful, and the mother-daughter relationship was thoughtfully developed. The plot was entertaining, and the pacing fit the story nicely. I loved Lauter’s take on vampires, and the horror elements were brilliant and chilling. The descriptions of the Mojave Desert and Las Vegas were immersive, cinematic, and haunting. I highly recommend this wonderful debut!

Avery May was an excellent narrator. Her voice fit the characters, emotion, and atmosphere beautifully. I highly recommend the audiobook!

Thank you to the publisher for the free ALC and to the author for the free ARC!

[Rach · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Ellis Karsten spends her nights working in the ER and then takes care of her mother in her apartment during the day, who has dementia and is gradually deteriorating. Their family is cursed, requiring a daily source of blood to survive, which soon proves to be in jeopardy with the vanishing of her uncle.

This book was relatively short, but packed such a punch. It was engaging, creepy and unsettling, and yet so well written that the setting and storyline still managed to be portrayed beautifully. I enjoyed the queer romance subplot, unique premise, exploration of a complicated and tense mother-daughter relationship, and the appearance of the Flayed Man. The narration was perfect and kept me gripped the entire time.

Thank you, RBmedia (Tantor Media), Chloe Lauter and NetGalley for an ALC to review. All opinions are my own.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very different take on vampires. In this version you are born human or born hungry. Ellis is of the hungry kind and works as a nurse, is taking care of her mother with dementia, and overall trying to make sure they get the blood supply they need to not go feral. When Uncle Bill goes missing, their blood supplier, things get messy fast and Ellis must act or things will get very grimey fast

The added details about the tales of the Flayed Man, Ellis’s complex relationship with her mother and her budding relationship with Veer make this book a great listen. I was mesmerized for most of the story. Unfortunately I struggled a bit with the narrator, Avery May, that is why I cannot rate this book higher.

I received a free ALC via NetGalley and leave an honest review voluntarily.

[Sierra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. I normally don’t like many horror novels but this was methodical and more introspective which I appreciated a lot. The slow building tension regarding Ellis and Brian was one of my favorite parts of the novel. As well as Ellis’s hardship with her mother and her feelings of needing to “owe” her and Veer to an extent. Veer’s and Ellis’s relationship also felt believable. A relationship is sure to occur between two very broken people who feel as though that being able to take and see through each other is the best way to survive.

The prose was good, it felt impactful without being too wordy or grandiose. This take on vampires was refreshing and interesting in the best way. Great novel.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a vampire novel, The Flayed Man has a unique take on these paranormal creatures. Their dependency on the blood and the abilities it provides them, paired with how time ultimately robs them of those abilities, was an interesting premise, but ultimately this book didn't 'wow' me. I enjoyed the themes of generational trauma and how the aging vampire experiences their own form of dementia, but none of it wasn't particularly impactful. This feeling was only amplified by the portrayal of Ellis's love interest as a positive at the end of the book, when in reality she was only trading one abuser for another.

Thank you to netgalley and Tantor Media for the opportunity to read and review this ALC.

[Tabathareads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this fresh take on vampires. It felt unique while still delivering everything I want from horror. The body horror was graphic, unsettling, and so well done. I also loved the queer romance, which added so much heart to an otherwise brutal story.

I do wish the mother and daughter relationship had been explored a little more because I found that dynamic especially compelling. Even so, I was really happy with the way everything came together, and the ending was incredibly satisfying. Avery May did a fantastic job with the audiobook narration and brought the story to life. This was a 4.5 star read for me, rounded up to 5 stars.

Thank you to Tantor Media for the gifted ALC!

[Manoek (manoeksbooknook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a unique take on a vampire story!

I would definitely describe this as literary horror, it relies more on themes like the complex family dynamics, generational trauma, caregiving than non stop action and scares. Don't get me wrong you definitely get those scenes too but the unsettling nature of the more mundane things also get under your skin.
The setting of it being in the desert also really fit well with this isolating vibe. I also enjoyed the sapphic romance.

I really liked the writing and the narration of the audiobook so I can definitely see myself read other books by the author

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the audiobook ARC

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

The premise of this story is what caught my attention. A cursed ER triage nurse, Ellis, who takes care of her mom who has the same curse(it’s inherited) and dementia. When their source of blood disappears Ellis has to find a new source. What I stayed for was the body horror and the really good n tasty traditional vampire trope with a new and modern twist. I thought it was really well done, could probably have one more edit to clean it all up, but it was super engaging and I really enjoyed the story.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

[Cheryl Cornwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a dark, absorbing read about a daughter caring for her mother with dementia while simultaneously trying to stave off the blood-thirsty hunger threatening to destroy all she holds dear. Written in crisp, propulsive prose, this unique take on the vampire novel explores the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters and what we owe to those who have both raised and hurt us. The Flayed man had me on the edge of my seat–not so silently–rooting for Ellis and Veer, the woman who might just save her.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was such an amazing take on the modern-day vampire! I just loved everything about this novel; I listened to it on audio and the narration was very well done. I can't believe that this is a debut. There is body horror in this, but the true horror is the generational trauma and mother daughter relationship toxicity. I can't wait to see what is next for this author, I will be sure to read it. Also, take a moment for that amazing cover, I just love it and need a physical copy for my shelf. Thank you RBmedia (Tantor Media), Chloe Lauter and NetGalley for an ALC.