Look What the Cat Dragged In

by Jason Rekulak, Doogie Horner (Illustrator), Will Staehle (Illustrator)

From the New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Pictures and The Last One at the Wedding comes a new supernatural thriller about a young woman pet-sitting a cat with a mysterious secret, featuring more than sixty pages of illustrations.

Meet Penny Padgett, a twenty-seven-year-old cartoonist in Philadelphia who agrees to pet-sit a very peculiar cat named Godfrey. At first, he’s a warm and affectionate companion. Godfrey follows Penny all around the house and insists on sleeping by her side every night. But soon strange things are happening. Penny is haunted by disturbing and violent nightmares. There’s a terrible insect infestation in her basement. Her cute cartoon illustrations turn dark and surreal, as if influenced by some invisible hand. And her health starts failing, as if her mind and body are under attack by a sinister, malevolent force.

Penny may be a cat person, but she’s starting to think Godfrey is no ordinary cat . . .

Fully illustrated with sixty pages of original artwork, Jason Rekulak’s new novel is intensely plotted, wonderfully frightening, and wildly clever.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Audiobook, Fiction, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Paranormal

330 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 13, 2026

About the author

I'm the author of four novels: THE IMPOSSIBLE FORTRESS (2017), HIDDEN PICTURES (2022), THE LAST ONE AT THE WEDDING (2024) and (coming in October 2026!) LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN. For many years I was Publisher of Quirk Books, an indie press headquartered in Philadelphia, where I ghost-wrote many odd books that may or may not surface on this page, depending on the metadata. I live in West Philly with my wife and children.

Reviews

[levi (starboy) (s.ia)]

Pardon my french but what thefuck was this book.
Genuinely why is every book I’m reading so boring. I only picked up this book cuz of the cats i love cats so muchhhhh (in my prime i used to have 13 cats) yeah take that taylor swift

Here’s what you are told your getting

• A good horror
• suspense to the max
• thriller about cats
• rituals & witchcraft
• creepiness and unease
• demons

HERES WHAT IT ACTUALLY DELIVERS

• vomit inducing gross stuff
•animal cruelty (tho I’m being a bit dramatic here)
• nothing
• crazy lore
• literal meow meows
• absolutely nothing
• half the book is spent searching for the feline (this reminds me of one of my favourite movies anora where they spend 60% of the movie searching for the male character) (i only like that movie cuz of mikey Madison)

Altho the feline was disgusting (what every cat owner should expect) with its cute moments too and i found penny’s character mildly amusing at first but then she kept getting repetitive and that annoyed the living cats out of me also the feline is named popcorn (one of my early cats was named corndog horndog, oh the nostalgia!) (i got him neutered twice because the first time they left a ball TMI?)

Also RIP corndog horndog 🕊️🐈 you will be missed fly high (i hope u get your balls back in heaven and i miss you and how you sounded like an exorcised eagle and how you got every living cat pregnant within the ten miles radius and how you used to randomly scratch my face in the middle of the night)
Forgive me if that’s TMI i was having a walkdown the memory lane.

[MarilynW]

Look What the Cat Dragged In by Jason Rekulak
Narrated by Stephanie Németh-Parker

This is at least my ninth book narrated by Stephanie Németh-Parker and she is always so very good with her narrations. Once again she does a great job and she really had to go far and wide with the narrations because we are dealing with old and evil and rotten in this story. Plus she had to narrate cats and her meows made me want to run and hug my cats, they were so good.

Here I am, continuing my horror binge, and I was mostly prepared for some of what was coming, knowing things were going to get very gross and that a cat or cats were going to be in peril. Just know, this is not a book to read while you are eating, bad things happen and those bad things are very messy and vomit inducing.

Twenty eight year old Penny Padgett is a successful cartoonist in Philadelphia. Living with a successful, handsome businessman, Dean, in his very nice home, Penny has made a career for herself, writing and illustrating books based on herself and her adorable rescue cat, Popcorn. Sadly, this book starts out with Popcorn going missing during a huge snowstorm, a storm that she is unlikely to survive. The loss of Popcorn devastates Penny and puts her in a tailspin of depression, making it impossible to even attempt to work on her 4th Penny and Popcorn book.

But, through connections of Dean's, Penny is now cat sitting Godfrey in their home. But Godfrey comes with instructions to feed bags of raw, gory, stinky stuff, and the house begins to smell horrible and be infested with all manner of strange bugs. Godfrey is strange in other ways, too, both clingy and extremely mean at times. Penny can't get away from him, he seems to be able to follow her everywhere. At least having her with him has inspired her to start writing and drawing again. But her work has turned dark, much like her nightmares and Penny is blanking out for large periods of time, doing things she doesn't remember, and is very likely to make her publisher very mad with her deviations from the cute and fun tone of her earlier work.

Be prepared for so many horrible happenings and worry about everyone and everything. We can see that things are very wrong, Penny can too when she is clear minded. Hang on for a ride to wacko land, because that is where this story started and it's going to get a whole long more horrendous. Having an idea what to expect, I enjoyed the story and liked the way things turned out in the end. BTW, I suggest that you DO NOT look at what the cat dragged in! I read this story with Jayme, Mary Beth, and DeAnn so be sure to see what they thought of this story.

Expected publication October 13, 2026

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ARC.

[shanayaa]

— 1.5/5 stars 

Okay, um, I genuinely want to start this by asking: what the actual fuck did I just read? Seriously. I am not exaggerating. I am genuinely shook. And not because this book had a million plot twists or because it was so terrifying that it fucked me over. No. I went into this book thinking, oh, a spooky horror story with cats? Say less. If there is a cat involved, I am automatically interested.

But honestly? This wasn't even my cup of tea. It wasn't my cup of coffee either, if we're being completely real. The book starts off pretty spooky, with our main character dealing with the loss of her own cat before she starts cat-sitting for a cat named Godfrey. And Godfrey starts doing some genuinely creepy-ass shit. The kind of shit that would have had me packing my bags, calling an exorcist, and running for my fucking life. Yet she kept ignoring every single red flag like, oh, he's just a cat. Ma'am. THAT IS NOT JUST A CAT BEHAVIOUR.

And listen, I say this as someone who absolutely loves cats. I would die for a cat. I would probably forgive a cat for knocking over every glass in my house. But if my pet started doing the kind of creepy shit Godfrey was doing? Babe, I love you, but we need some distance. Immediately.

The amount of red flags in this book was absolutely insane, and our main character just kept looking at them and going, hmm, interesting. NO. Nothing about it was interesting to me. I was sitting there wondering how she wasn't completely freaked the fuck out.

But I will give the book credit where it's due, the creepy atmosphere was genuinely done well, and the writing itself wasn't bad at all. It was actually pretty engaging in the beginning.

But then... the cult stuff happened. And I was like, excuse me, the fucking what now? A cult? Out of absolutely nowhere? Honestly, that entire plotline felt like it belonged to a completely different book. It wasn't badly written, not at all, but it just didn't add up for me. It wasn't explained properly, and that genuinely pissed me off because if you're going to throw a whole-ass cult into the story, then at least give me something to work with. I went in expecting paranormal horror, creepy cats, and spooky vibes, not suddenly finding myself in the middle of some cultish chaos that I wasn't even emotionally prepared for.

— Overall, I don't think this was a bad book by any means. It had some genuinely creepy moments, and the writing was good, but it simply wasn't what I wanted it to be. I wanted more paranormal horror, more creepy cat energy, and honestly, just more of what the book initially promised me.

Instead, I was left a little confused and a little disappointed. So, if you want something spooky, weird, and slightly paranormal with a cat that might make you side-eye your own pets, then sure, give it a go. But as for me? Yeah, it just wasn't for me, and that's okay. 💌

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

౨ৎ pre-read:
⤿ started - 24 August, 2026

reading this solely for the cats 😭 also my first book by this author so hopefully he doesn’t disappoint!!

— Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo)]

Look What the Cat Dragged In by Jason Rekulak ✍🏻
Narrated by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker 🎙️
Listening time: 8 hours 28 minutes at 1x or 5 hours 40 minutes at 1.5x 🎧

Nope!
I wasn’t the right reader for this one although I do think that true HORROR aficionados will enjoy it a lot more!

If you want to know “what the cat dragged in” just enlarge the book cover and have a peek at Godfrey’s reflection…

Penny Padgett is a twenty-seven-year-old cartoonist in Philadelphia who loves her cat Popcorn (love that name!) and makes a living drawing illustrations inspired by their life together. So she is DEVASTATED when Popcorn escapes from an open window during a blizzard and searching all night with friends isn’t enough to find her faithful companion.

Two weeks later, she reluctantly agrees to pet-sit a black cat named Godfrey. No “kibble” for him-he prefers “freshly killed” food-the bloodier the better! And, the result seems to be a litter box filled with BUGS.

Having Godfrey around seems to be affecting Penny’s mental and physical well being as well. This story perpetuates the superstition that “black cats are witches or demons in disguise” as a sinister, malevolent force, seems to be taking over Penny’s body.

I was entertained by the first half of the book when we meet Penny and Popcorn, and any cat lover will smile at their bond and at the cartoons described. (4 stars)

But, the second half is true HORROR with its demons and gore. (2 stars-NOT for me)

So, I am rating this one 3 stars. ⭐️

I loved the Supernatural vibes of “Hidden Pictures” and I also enjoyed “The Last One at the Wedding”, so I will read Jason Rekulak’s next (unless it’s a sequel to this one! 😆).

If this story appeals to you-the written copy has SIXTY pages of illustrations. But, what the Audible has going for it is a 5 star performance by one of my favorite voice actors/narrators who even nails “MEOWS!”

AVAILABLE OCTOBER 13th 2026-probably not a coincidence! 😼

This was a buddy read with Marilyn, Mary Beth and DeAnn so do watch for their reviews for additional thoughts!💭

Thank You to Macmillan Audio for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!

[Hades ( Disney's version )]

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for an ALC of Look What the Cat Dragged In by Jason Rekulak.

🌟3.5🌟

Apparently, cats have finally decided that knocking things off countertops and psychological warfare weren't enough, and they've officially moved on to using us as the pods they've always believed us to be... and honestly? The surprise should be minimal.. 

Listen, lifelong cat owner here, okay?! And let's be real... they are reincarnated demons.. 🤣 Like, is every cat a reincarnated demon? No.... But is 95% of the reincarnated demon population probably a cat?... Yes. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I don't make the rules...But on a serious note, cats are very special and unique creatures.. They always seem to be operating in multiple dimensions, so it was genuinely entertaining seeing this theory played out in such a way.... This had me giving one of my cats the bombastic sideeye every other chapter.. A huge part of what makes this work is the hilarious realization that, on one hand, the concept is completely wild and out of this world, but on the other hand, it somehow feels like everyday life as a cat owner.. 🤣😭

I went into this one not knowing what to expect but hoping for one thing..to be completely blindsided... While it definitely wasn't perfect, Jason Rekulak has once again managed to take an ordinary premise and slowly twist it into something deeply unsettling... Penny's missing cat, a new and very suspicious feline named Godfrey, strange things happening around the house, and increasingly bizarre behavior all come together to create this wonderfully strange little nightmare that's very easy to fall into.

That said, I wasn't completely sold on every aspect... I felt the story was circling the same ideas instead of expanding on them at certain points, and I also found a lot of the twists easier to anticipate than I would have personally liked... Again, I was expecting to be completely blindsided, and while there were definitely some fun turns, my jaw never quite hit the floor...

BUT... and this is a pretty significant "but"... I was still having fun!

There's something about Rekulak's writing that makes even the strangest situations ridiculously readable. The story manages to bounce between creepy, bizarre, darkly funny, and occasionally downright ridiculous without completely losing its identity...It's horror, but it doesn't take itself so seriously that there's no room for a little humor... That balance worked really well for me...

Final conclusion? ... Did I have a good time reading about a suspicious cat potentially ruining someone's entire life?...Unfortunately my therapist... yes... Yes, I did. 😂..

.. It's a wonderfully weird, creepy, and occasionally campy read that won't work perfectly for everyone..but if you're a fan of supernatural horror, strange premises, and cats who seem like they know WAY more than they're letting on, this one is worth giving a chance.


Until next time, 
Hades 
🩵

[Kat]

In this tale of two kitties, cartoonist Penny Padgett and her beloved white cat Popcorn live with her boyfriend Dean in his Philadelphia home. When Popcorn goes missing during a blizzard through a kitchen window that Penny’s sure she closed, she’s devastated.

With the inspiration for the fourth book in her successful Penny and Popcorn series missing, Dean hopes inviting her to a party at the mansion of an influential client will get her mind off her loss. Soon after arriving, she meets the second cat in this story - a black cat named Godfrey who takes a very unusual liking to her.

When this wealthy client needs to travel for a month, who better to care for Godfrey than Penny? Seeing a chance to impress her, Dean pressures Penny into agreeing, and soon Godfrey is making himself at home. It seems he’s not your ordinary housecat, though, when increasingly mysterious and even menacing things start happening soon after his arrival.

I liked the idea of the story well enough. Though a possession story is far from unique - even one involving animals - the premise of bringing something with ‘extra company’ into your home unwittingly is enough to make me give those cute little fluffballs a bit of side-eye before getting too close!

You’ll have to suspend all kinds of disbelief, but it’s supernatural horror so I don’t think it’s aiming for realism. I can see shades of different movies in this story like Midsommar, The Wicker Man, Rosemary’s Baby or The Skeleton Key. If you have a weak stomach, I recommend skimming or skipping this - at least in the second half. The story goes from slow to gonzo pretty quickly.

If you like horror with creepy supernatural entities, pagan rituals, covens, a fair amount of gooey and gross, and an unwitting main character who has to contend with them all, this may be right up your alley. Though OTT, the ending made the journey worth it for me!

I listened to this on audio, narrated by the excellent Stephanie Németh-Parker, who narrated all voices: human, animal and “other” perfectly!

★★★ ½

Thanks to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley and author Jason Rekulak for this ALC to honestly review. It’s out on October 13, 2026.

[Liana Gold]

⭐️ 3.5 ⭐️ Hands down, the strongest part of this book are the illustrations. They are integrated into the story and add so much flame to it, the artist in me loves this type of creativity. There are probably over 50 pages of cool art. Unfortunately, this wasn't as strong as Hidden Pictures and lacked the cohesiveness in the blend of supernatural horror, cat galore and dark humor. I loved the start and the middle was also pretty strong: creepy atmosphere, things started to go horribly wrong, body horror kicked in.. but it's the last third of the book that kind of lost me. We have demons, cults, witches and warlocks all coming together... I mean it started getting weirder and weirder, a bit more grotesque and felt like an invasion? Things escalated very quickly and in a very bizarre way that kind of lost me. From weird coven rituals to fight against supernatural forces, I felt the story began to disconnect from the psychological and moved into occult craziness. The ending didn't finish with a bang for me and thats ok, I still enjoyed many parts of this story and would recommend it to fellow readers and lovers of supernatural horror.


WHATS IT ABOUT?
Penny is a cartoonist living in Philadelphia. She has a cat named Popcorn (oh, how cute!) that she adores. Unfortunately, one stormy night, Popcorn escapes and never is found. She's obviously devastated from this loss and to ease her mind, her boyfriend brings her to a party hosted by his client. There she encounters another cat named Godfrey and becomes attached to him. Penny is offered a chance to pet-sit for a month, watching over Godfrey and Penny is elated, of course she agrees! Godfrey has some kind of an effect on Penny..but in a horrifying way. Scary and bizarre things start happening around the house..

From violent and disturbing nightmares to seeing things and losing weight.. what in the world is going on??



Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy.

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for an early ALC!

Narrator: Stephanie Németh-Parker
Duration: 8 hours 28 minutes (varies)
Speed: 1.75-2.5x

Publication date: October 13, 2026

[Heather Adores Books]

Currently a GR giveaway going on if you're interested
3⭐
Genre ~ psychological horror, supernatural thriller
Setting ~ Pennsylvania
Publication date ~ October 13, 2026
Publisher ~ Macmillan Audio
Est Page Count ~ 352 (37 chapters)
Audio length ~ 8 hours 28 minutes
Narrator ~ Stephanie Németh-Parker
POV ~ single 3rd
Featuring ~ 4 parts, grossness

Penny and her beloved cat, Popcorn, have a lovely life together creating a series of books. But then one day Popcorn goes missing and Penny soon becomes depressed. Her live in boyfriend, Dean, convinces her to pet sit for a clients cat, Godfrey, against her better judgement.

What a mistake that ended up being. Y’all, Godfrey is creepy and gross, nothing at all like sweet Popcorn. From what he ate for meals to what he dragged in for snacks and to what was in the litter box, just plain nasty.

I understand it's horror, and that's fine I don't mind spooky horror, but this had demons and gore and goop and grossness galore. I'm sure I had a vomit face on for most of the time I was listening. Don't get me started on something that happens with Penny's friend Greg either.

If any of this interests you than you'll probably enjoy this one more than I did. I mean it was well written, just the content wasn't really for me.

Narration notes:
She did a great job with many different voices. There were even some added sound effects and she meows, so that was fun.

[Debra]

Penny Padgett, an illustrator and author living in Philadelphia, is distraught when her beloved cat, Popcorn goes missing during a snowstorm. She is joined by friends who look and look, but popcorn is nowhere to be found. Penny is devastated and when she is asked to pet sit a cat named Godfrey, she agrees to do so. In the beginning, Godfrey is purrfect! He is cuddly, follows her around, and sleeps beside her. But then strange things begin to happen. Penny is appalled at what Godfrey eats each day; insects appear, her complexion begins to be affected, she hears music and has nightmares. Penny is unsettled, and her professional life is being negatively affected as well. Penny can't shake the feeling that something isn't quite right....What took you so long, Penny??????

Look What the Cat Dragged In dragged me into the plot from the very beginning. I had a hard time putting this book down and enjoyed cringing at some of the horrific scenes. This book is dark, well thought out, intriguing, wonderfully written, and entertaining. I had a lot of fun listening to this book. Keep in mind that this book is in the horror genre but is more horrific than gory or bloody. I enjoyed the creepy and eerie vibe of this book. I also enjoyed the tension and dread which ebbed and flowed throughout this book as well. This book played out like a movie in my mind. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions and the cast of characters.

Dark, chilling, tense, unsettling, and hard to put down!

* I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator did a great job of bringing this book to life!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

[chantalsbookstuff]

This one was definitely a tale of two halves for me.

I really struggled with the first half. It felt slow and I didn't really feel the story or the characters, so I honestly wasn’t sure where this was going. Penny was a character I liked, though, especially seeing how much Popcorn meant to her and how the loss of her cat affected her. They look after a co-workers cat, Godfrey, after Penny gets a little depressed when Popcorn doesn't return. This cat is definitely not your average house cat!

But the second half completely changed things for me. Once everything started kicking off, the book became much more action packed. Some gore and odd little things happening. The weirdness really ramped up and I found myself flying through those final chapters. I feel like this is one of those books were you just have to push through until the good stuff comes.

I’m landing on 3 stars because the first half was a bit of a slog for me, but the second half really did pull the book through and gave me the kind of wild, unhinged ending I was hoping for.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publishers for the opportunity to review this ARC.

[L A]

"Penny may be a cat person, but she’s starting to think Godfrey is no ordinary cat . . ."
Not my typical cat read!! I do not like horror, but the title and the cat dragged me in. I thought it would be cutesy...not at all. I went in blindly and was surprised it turned demonic and into a satanic supernatural craze. I finally fast forward through some cringy and cheesy scenes.
It begins with a cartoonist losing her cat Popcorn. A past boyfriend entered the scene to help her find it as well as her new boyfriend Dean. When she agrees to house-sit a cat named Godfrey, her world turns upside down, as well as her health. She realizes the cat can communicate and some creepy things begin to happen. When she has disturbing and violent nightmares, insects invade her house and her work as an illustrator turns dark, she catches on slowly there is more than this cat to worry about.
I do not recommend it if you are like me and want to stay far away from the demonic side. The narrator Stephanie Nemeth-Parker did an excellent job.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio in exchange for my review.

[Darla]

If you own a cat who can go outside, there will be things that the cat drags in.

In this new release from Jason Rekulak, a handsome black cat named Godfrey brings in some disturbing items and one in particular will galvanize Penny into action. Will she be in time?

😻I am a cat person and loved the stories about Popcorn especially. The comics spread throughout were delightful with the exception of one section. If the books Penny writes were available IRL I would read them.

😼Penny and her cat experiences brought to mind the antics of animals in our household. Our Siamese cat brought a live male Cardinal into the house once. I set them both outside ASAP. That same cat was fond of gifting us with live snakes. Eeek! Penny draws a scene where Popcorn insists on joining her in the bathroom --sitting on her lap while she is using the toilet. We had a cat that loved to do that, too.

🙏My absolute favorite character in this creepy read was Angie, the praying grandmother. As she points out early on, being possessed by the devil is not something to make light of.

🎧While I really enjoyed the audio narration by Stephanie Németh-Parker (thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley), I am glad I also downloaded a digital copy courtesy of Flatiron Books and read it on the Edelweiss+ Reader to see those delightful illustrations (and some that might give me nightmares)>

If you are a reader who is looking for a spooky read for October, give this one a try. Available on October 13, 2026.

[Krysta ꕤ]

3.5 ☆

i had to read this book the minute i found out it was centered around cats. Penny’s cat Popcorn goes missing, and within the search for her companion she gets roped into pet sitting another cat in the meantime.

Penny is a cartoonist, so there’s comic strips throughout the book that feature her & Popcorn. Godfrey, the cat she’s pet sitting clearly has something very wrong with him & the descriptions were actually disgusting. so, in other words.. very effective and dread inducing.

the pace takes a while to get going, but i had the audiobook & the narrator brought the whole thing to life. idk if i would’ve been as entertained if i read this physically. i thought it was obvious why Godfrey was acting that way, so i wasn’t surprised by the last half of the story but it definitely went from zero to a hundred on the insanity scale. sometimes i’m unsure what sort of point the author is trying to convey, but at face value i do think he executes the horror atmosphere well.

➨ thanks to NetGalley, the author and Macmillan Audio for the alc, all opinions are my own.

[Gabby]

I really enjoyed this one! I LOVED following Penny as a protagonist. I love that she's a cartoonist, and how much she loves her cat, and the way we get to see so much of her art included in this book was sooooo cool. This book had some genuinely creepy moments with the cat, and it was unnerving to read on as Penny starts to feel like she's losing her sanity. I also lovedddddd the romantic tension in this book between Penny / Dean / Greg, I was here for a bit of a love triangle situation between them and I was invested from the beginning.

I think cat lovers especially will find a lot of joy with this book, and if you're the kind of person who appreciates cartoon art. I'll be thinking about Penny and Popcorn for a long time.

Here's the reading vlog where I read this one and a few others: https://youtu.be/2f2tsm2JkP4

[Christine Garrow]

Penny Padgett has just lost her beloved cat, Popcorn, who is more than a cherished companion. Popcorn is also the star of Penny’s popular cartoons. When all efforts to find her fail, Penny begins to wonder if she’ll ever see her feline friend again. Overwhelmed by grief, she reluctantly agrees to cat-sit a mysterious feline named Godfrey at the encouragement of her boyfriend, Dean.

Almost immediately, strange things begin happening. Large, unfamiliar insects appear in her home. Penny hears music no one else seems to notice. She experiences unexplained illnesses and blackouts, and her comics begin featuring dark figures and words she doesn’t remember drawing or writing. As these increasingly disturbing events unfold, Penny struggles to distinguish what is real from what might be happening inside her own mind.

What makes Penny’s predicament particularly unsettling is that her creative identity is also being threatened. Popcorn isn’t simply her beloved pet; he’s central to her livelihood and artistic expression. His disappearance leaves a void in both her personal and professional life. When Penny’s own artwork begins transforming into something unfamiliar and sinister, even her creativity no longer feels entirely her own. There’s something especially disturbing about losing control of the very thing through which you express yourself.

It’s also worth mentioning that the print edition includes more than 80 pages of illustrations, an interesting addition to a story centered around a cartoonist. However, because I experienced this book as an audiobook, I can’t comment on the artwork or how effectively it complements the narrative. I wouldn’t want to evaluate something I wasn’t able to see.

To those around her, Penny appears to be experiencing a psychological breakdown following the loss of Popcorn. Her attempts to seek help are met with skepticism, and I found it incredibly frustrating that no one seems willing to take her seriously or help her obtain appropriate medical care. It’s particularly telling when Penny finally contacts a doctor’s office herself, only to be offered an appointment several months out. It would be funny if it weren’t so painfully true.

One of the most unsettling aspects of this story is the isolation that comes from not being believed. Penny’s confusion, suspicion, and exhaustion become increasingly palpable as she struggles to understand what’s happening to her. Her grief seems to make others more inclined to dismiss her experiences rather than investigate them. Not being believed can really mess a person up, but so can housing an unknown dark force inside one’s residence.

The first portion of the novel builds tension slowly and gradually, allowing the increasingly bizarre occurrences to create a creeping sense of dread. Unfortunately, the latter portion moves at a dramatically different pace, with an extremely rapid resolution. After such a carefully constructed buildup, I would have appreciated more time for the revelations and their consequences to unfold.

Stephanie Németh-Parker does an excellent job narrating the audiobook. Her distinct character voices, shifts in tone, and carefully controlled cadence are particularly effective in conveying Penny’s confusion and growing desperation. These nuances are important in psychological horror, where so much of the tension depends on the listener experiencing the protagonist’s uncertainty.

There is also a romantic element involving Penny’s friend Greg, who helps her navigate her increasingly troubling circumstances. However, readers hoping for a fully developed romance should temper their expectations. The story glosses over moments that might otherwise serve as significant romantic climaxes. The relationship is secondary to the horror, and that’s worth knowing before diving in.

At its heart, Look What the Cat Dragged In is a wonderfully weird horror story centered around a cat, with themes of grief, creative identity, isolation, and the frightening vulnerability of losing control over one’s own reality. Despite my reservations about the rushed conclusion, I appreciated the unsettling atmosphere, the bizarre premise, and the excellent audiobook performance. This is a story that understands how frightening it can be when the people around you doubt your reality, especially when you begin to doubt it yourself.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an advance listening copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[STEPH]

Wow, this was scary. The slow-burn, the horror build-up, the cat, the suspense.

If you think this is just a typical story about an illustrator and her cat, then you are sadly mistaken. Everything felt normal at first. The cat was clingy, following her around and lying on her belly for hours on end. Then strange things started happening. Unlocked doors, missing books, a repulsive smell, and a black beetle infestation. Now Penny is plagued by nightmares, blackouts, and hallucinations.

The first few chapters were so steadily slow I almost fell asleep. It also felt repetitive at times, which got a bit annoying. However, the pace picked up during the third quarter and everything completely blew over. Scary shit. One funny thing though was the Pokémon reference. Lol.

Pagan rituals, satanic cults, and witchcraft. I suggest not reading this beside your cat. Lol. Your cat might morph into something feral and evil.

Overall, this was unsettling and genuinely creepy, but it didn’t quite capture the same magic Jason was able to pull off with Hidden Pictures.

[Nikki Lee (Nikkileethrillseeker)]

🎧Audio/ ARC Review🎧

Whoa!!! Rekulak did his thing right here! Holy hell, what started as a cozy mystery of a missing cat, turned all kinds of devilish! Boy, this book turned out wilder than I expected and I loved it!

Penny is a cartoonist who agrees to pet sit a cat named Godfrey. At first, he’s sweet. Then, strange things begin to happen. Godfrey is not the cat she thought he was.

Witches, devils, and evil forces are at play… and boy, does it get wicked. There’s a bit of body horror that I wasn’t expecting and I was there for the ride.

The narration by Stephanie Németh-Parker was OUTTA THIS WORLD! Hawt damn, she killed it! Her voice for the demon was truly terrifying! She puts on a full acting performance like no other!!! Bravo 👏👏👏👏👏👏

I think this book is a perfect fit for true horror fans considering the body horror elements and the evil forces at play. I loved it and it’ll be out on 10/13. It’ll arrive just in time for the perfect spooky season celebration!

The illustrations throughout are phenomenal, bringing the story to life. I alternated between the audio and the physical.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Many thanks to Flatiron, MacMillian audio and NetGalley for the gifted copies.

[Char]

Look What the Cat Dragged In was a fun audiobook with a few caveats.

Penny is a somewhat famous comic writer and her stories feature her adopted cat, Popcorn. During a blizzard her cat gets out and despite exhaustive searching, she is lost. Penny decides to cat-sit for a feline gent named Godfrey at her boyfriend's request. Their lives are never the same again.

Jason Rekulak seems to be known for his twisty stories and this one is no exception. However the twists were mostly easy to see coming, especially for seasoned horror readers. There's a good amount of gory stuff though, which this horror lover enjoyed. Penny is rather annoying and whiny at times, but her character changed quite a bit throughout this tale, and I did become quite fond of her by the end.

I think cat lovers will have fun with this story because the cats play a prominent role throughout.

The narrator, Stephanie Nemeth-Parker, did a fine job, though her voicing of some of the male characters was a little rough.

Overall, I had fun with this story and found that I always wanted to return to it-therefore I finished listening to the entire book in less than 2 days. Being a bit predictable though, my final rating is 3.5/5 stars, rounded up to 4 here at Goodreads.

Recommended!

*ARC from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley

[Barbara]

Philadelphia resident Penny Padgett is 27-years-old and a graduate of the Tyler School of Art and Architecture, where she studied illustration. Penny also volunteers at an animal shelter/coffee shop called Caffeè dei Gatti, and has a mischievous cat named Popcorn.



Penny's funny cartoons about herself and Popcorn, spread on social media, drew the attention of a publisher. Now the 'Penny and Popcorn' books are very popular.





Penny creates the Penny and Popcorn books in her art studio in the home of her boyfriend, Dean Everhardt, where Penny and Popcorn have lived since rich handsome Dean swept Penny off her feet.



One morning, during a huge snowstorm, Popcorn gets out a window and disappears. Penny sends an SOS to Caffeè dei Gatti, and three co-worker friends hurry over to help. The trio includes:

Margo - an efficient young woman who arrives with flashlights, handwarmers, extra scarves and hats, staple guns, a thermos of hot coffee, and instructions about calling the neighbors and offering a reward;

Margo's grandmother Angie - a grey-haired spiritual lady who hugs Penny and promises, "Everything's going to be okay. I said a prayer to Saint Gertrude of Neville, the patron saint of missing cats";

and Greg - an animal lover who insists, "Popcorn won't last in this blizzard, We need to get out there."



Penny and her friends search day and night, but Popcorn isn't found, and Penny falls into a deep depression. To draw Penny out of herself, her boyfriend Dean takes Penny to a cocktail party at the home of his wealthiest client Evelyn Bruehl. Evelyn's cat Godfrey takes a liking to Penny and stays near her all evening. Later, when Evelyn mentions needing a cat-sitter while she takes a long trip, Dean immediately says, "We'll do it!"



Penny is hesitant but Dean insists he'll clean the litter box and the deal is sealed. A couple of weeks later Godfrey's veterinarian brings Godfrey to Penny and Dean's place, and the vet's assistant carries Godfrey's food - a cooler containing plastic packets of bloody raw meat.



Godfrey's visit starts out okay, though (of course) Dean doesn't help a single bit. Soon enough, though, Godfrey starts bringing chewed up dead animals into the house through his cat flap, and Godfrey's litter box stinks and becomes infested with beetles and centipedes. At the same time, Penny has nightmares; her face breaks out in pimples; she feels sick; strange music comes from the basement; and more. And during all this, Penny yearns for her beloved Popcorn.



To make things worse, Penny feels compelled to draw troubling cartoons, and her publisher balks, saying he can't use them.





Despite everything, Dean insists everything is hunky dory, and Penny's friends don't seem to take her concerns seriously....until they do.

The latter part of the book is deliciously ghoulish and creepy, with blood-curdling scenes that will stick in your mind. The novel has over 80 pages of illustrations along with a memorable story, so it's a twofer. Recommended to horror fans.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Stephanie Németh-Parker, who does an excellent job with the human voices and cat meows.

Thanks to Netgalley, Jason Rekulak, and Macmillan Audio for an ARC of the book.

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com

[Lauren W -behind! (work)- trying to stay semi-caught up♥︎]

3.5- I was so looking forward to this one after absolutely loving Hidden Pictures, but unfortunately, Look What the Cat Dragged In didn't quite hit the same mark for me.

On the positive side, I really enjoyed the audiobook narrator, and the main character's cat, Popcorn, might honestly be my favorite part of the whole story (such a great name!).

However, the plot takes a wild turn into demons and... honestly, what the heck? It ended up being a really odd storyline, and the second half of the book just wasn't for me. Definitely a bummer given how excited I was for it!

[Rebecca]

I received this book as an audio arc from NetGalley. Thank you to everyone involved.

I rated this book 4 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The audio book was voiced by Stephanie Németh-Parker. It was a 5/5 job. I think she was able to bring humor and seriousness to the reading. It was clear and enjoyable to listen to.

Things I liked-
🐈 the cats. I love cats in general so a book about a possible evil kitty was right up my alley.
🐈 the descent into “madness” that penny goes though. I feel like it was so well done and so eerie . I love all the supernatural things in this book (I don’t want to list anything specific due to spoilers)
🐈I’ve read all of this authors books and I’ve liked all of them a lot. This one is kind of totally different than the other 2 and it was still just as good.

Only thing I’m bummed about was I wish that there was access to the illustrations with the audio book. I would have really enjoyed those with this story like in hidden pictures. I can’t speak to if that’s included once it’s published though so this may be a non issue.

If you like his other books I would 100% recommend this audio book to you. It’s Purrrrfect 😏🐈

[Dennis]

I love Jason Rekulak’s books, but Look What the Cat Dragged In might be my favorite yet. Thank you @flatiron_books for this gifted copy! This was a fully immersive horror experience, complete with illustrated cartoons that made the story feel even more unsettling, unique, and completely its own. Truly EPIC.

Meet Penny Padgett, a 27 year-old Philadelphia cartoonist who agrees to pet-sit Godfrey, an affectionate but peculiar cat who’s owner is a client of her boyfriend, only to find herself plagued by violent nightmares, a horrifying insect infestation, disturbing changes in her artwork, and a mysterious decline in her health. As an increasingly sinister force seems to take hold of her mind and body, Penny begins to suspect that Godfrey is no ordinary cat.

Hidden Pictures was my first venture into this author’s work, and that felt like horror-lite mixed with a thriller. Then The Last One at the Wedding leaned much more heavily into thriller territory. But this one? HORROR CENTRAL. And I was absolutely here for it.

It’s a little slow to start, but once things get weird and crazy, I could not put it down. I was flipping through the pages, completely immersed in the madness and the hauntingly scary illustrations, and dying to see where it was all going. Creepy, bizarre, dark, wildly entertaining, and just so much fun.

This is easily one of my top ten reads of the year and will absolutely be my new go-to horror recommendation for anyone looking for something different. Epic. Amazing. Unhinged in all the right ways. I had the BEST time with this one. STARS: 5, PUB: 10/13

[MagretFume]

Great, now I'm scared of cats!
It is great horror. The unsettling atmosphere builds slowly and the gruesome horror elements start to add up in very disturbing ways.

The narrator of the audiobook is perfect at conveying the spiralling of the main character, and I'm glad I listened to the audiobook because it helped me with the slow pacing of the story.

I feel it could have been shorter, and that's why it is more of a 3.5 to me.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for this ARC!

[Mikayla Larlee]

This was definitely not my usual type of book, but the cat got me! I went in thinking it would be a fun, quirky cat story and it ended up being very much the opposite. It got pretty creepy and demonic, and while some parts were a little cheesy for me, I still flew through it because I wanted to see what was going on with Godfrey. This is not one I would have went for had if I known how dark it got.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

[Ashley Flippin]

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC of this title. I was so excited to be approved for this audiobook because I have loved the author’s previous Books. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectations. I have had trouble staying focused on the storyline and it is just not very interesting to me. The descriptions are just gross and a little over the top. I ended up DNF this book at about 57% because I could not keep reading about the blood and guts that Godfrey brings home and leaves for Penny I do think that some people may enjoy this book, but it was just not for me.

[Laura]

i'm ready to be let down :)

[Christina C]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

Look What the Cat Dragged In was such a unique and strange read! I really liked the creepy atmosphere and the idea of a mysterious cat bringing something supernatural into Penny’s life.

That being said, I found the story a little difficult to get into at times, and some parts felt confusing and a bit too weird for me. I was intrigued by the mystery surrounding Godfrey, but at the end I was like what is happening!!

Overall, this was a creative and unsettling thriller with a very original concept. It just wasn’t quite the five-star read I was hoping for. 🐈‍⬛📚

[Jessica Brusven]

I received an ARC and I adored this book! It’s so unexpected. Without giving away too much, it starts with the mystery of Penny’s missing cat Popcorn. Not only is it upsetting to her as her beloved pet, she also makes a career of writing graphic novels about their relationship. After taking in a new cat temporarily, strange things begin happening. The book takes a dramatic turn from solving the mystery of Popcorn’s disappearance to solving why Penny seems to be unraveling. I couldn’t put this book down and loved the cast of supporting characters. Some parts feel far fetched, but that’s what made it the most fun. I also loved that the book explored the important relationship between people and pets in a more dynamic way than most stories. A must read!

[suspenseisthrillingme]

Holy banger of a read! Before I get started, I need to warn all of my followers… You may think this is a cozy horror story thanks to the cat on the cover and the cartoons inside…don’t let either one fool you. Rekulak’s newest novel, Look What the Cat Dragged In, was a deliciously unhinged, f***ed-up tale of hair-raising pictures, nightmare-inducing plot lines, and uniquely gruesome scenes. Original and high-concept in scope and premise, this mystery-slash-horror combo was the perfect mix of scary and weird. You see, between the escalating chaos of Penny’s blood-curdling visions to her increasingly unreliable narration, this book was a masterclass in how to take a story off the rails without giving away a thing. Weaving in supernatural and paranormal elements into an everyday-life-style mystery, the sinister became real and the horror took center stage as Penny began to lose her mind.

I do have to say, though, that on top of the blood, gore, and body horror was a campy feel that I utterly loved. Peppered with darkly funny humor and twisted illustrations, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud just as much as I averted my eyes from the page. Don’t get me wrong, I flew through this book in one single sitting of late-night binge-reading. Despite a somewhat slow pace and seemingly divisive mashup of genres, this was an easy *chef’s kiss* read for me. I mean, how could I not fall for the quirky characters and cute-but-menacing pet cat? Wildly imaginative, thought-provoking, and twisty, it was the perfect blend of C.B. Everett’s The Other People and Hidden Pictures. After all, it took my expectations and ran them over again and again. So if you’re craving a fresh take on horror that was as fun as it was chilling, this one is for you. I had a blast and hopefully you will, too. Rating of 5 stars.

Read if you’re a fan of:
- Supernatural elements
- Mystery-horror mashups
- Brilliant illustrations
- Short chapters
- A creepy atmosphere
- A nightmare-inducing premise
- Dark humor
- Unreliable narrators
- Escalating chaos
- Blood, gore, and body horror
- Twisty conclusions
- Slow-burning suspense

EDITED SYNOPSIS:

PLEASE OH PLEASE go into this one at least mostly blind. Be extremely careful with what blurbs and reviews you read as the shocks and surprises should be reserved for when you reach them on the page. Even the publisher-provided synopsis revealed just a tad too much in my opinion, which is why I edited it down just a tad. Here’s all you really need to know…

Meet Penny Padgett, a twenty-seven-year-old cartoonist in Philadelphia who agrees to pet-sit a very peculiar cat named Godfrey in her home. At first, he’s a warm and affectionate companion who follows Penny all around the house and insists on sleeping by her side every night. But soon strange things start to happen to her that she can’t explain. Things that turn her world upside down…

Left to try and solve the mystery on her own, the only thing Penny can think is that everything is related to her new feline house guest—but she’s starting to think Godfrey is no ordinary cat.

Thank you Jason Rekulak and Flatiron Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

PUB DATE: October 13, 2026

Content warning: grief, animal death/cruelty, anaphylactic reaction, chronic illness, toxic relationship/friendship, gore, sexual content, gaslighting, injury, cursing, violence, blood, murder, body horror, mention of: death of a parent

[Miss 80's Books]

I have a feeling this is going to be one of those "love it" or "hate it" books.
Me? I absolutely ate this one up. Pun intended. 😂 And if you read it, you’ll understand.

After loving Hidden Pictures, I was excited to dive into Jason Rekulak’s latest, and going in mostly blind made this one even more fun. I knew there was a cat involved and that one of my favorite narrators, Stephanie Németh-Parker, was narrating. That was pretty much all I needed to know!

As a cat lover, the premise immediately caught my attention, and I had a slight feeling how the story might go. This is a quirky, cheesy at times, mashup of cozy mystery, thriller, and horror with plenty of dark humor, gore, and what did I just read moments. For someone more seasoned in the horror genre, especially horror films, I wouldn’t call this particularly dark or scary. But it IS gross, bloody, bizarre, and ridiculously entertaining. Basically, popcorn horror with cats. And honestly? I’m not mad about it. I would absolutely go see the film adaptation!

The beginning is definitely a slower burn, and there were moments when I wondered, Is this actually going to be a horror book But once things start getting strange, the story shifts gears, the dread builds, and I was fully invested in seeing just how bonkers it was going to get.

The final stretch completely went off the rails, and I LOVED the direction it took. I actually wished we got a little more of that craziness throughout. I’m morbid. What can I say? 😂 I did kind of manage to predict the big twist, but that didn't take away from the wild ride that followed.

I listened to the audiobook, and Stephanie Németh-Parker did a fantastic job bringing the characters, humor, creepy moments, and increasingly chaotic scenes to life. Her narration made this such an easy audiobook to get lost in. My only tiny complaint is that I missed the illustrations! I definitely want to pick up a physical copy because I’m very curious to see them for myself.

This book completely surprised me. It’s weird. It’s gory. It’s funny. It involves cats. And it is definitely NOT the cat book you think you’re getting. If you like your horror on the lighter, cheesier, bloodier, more ridiculous side, add this one to your TBR.

4.5🐈

Thank you to MacMillian Audio, Flatiron Books, and NetGalley for this advanced listener copy. My thoughts and opinions are my own.