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I Am the Monster Under the Bed
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Expected 15 Sep 26Win a free print copy of this book!
8 days and 13:49:03
15 copies available
U.S. and Canada only
TIME ONLY MAKES THE NIGHTMARE MORE REAL.
Something lives under Willa’s bed. As an adult, her fondest childhood memories are of the invisible entity under her bed who taught her how to read. Now thirty-two, Willa is a reclusive but successful painter until a bombshell news report exposes her identity as the controversial survivor of the unsolved Rapture Mystery Slayings, a small-town tragedy that splashed across headlines during her senior year of high school. Six teenagers died in the woods while Willa walked free, and everyone thinks she killed them.
When an old classmate calls about a funeral, Willa reluctantly travels to her sleepy hometown, where the possessed forest that stole her friends looms. The trees whistle for her attention, but she knows better than to listen. And the unexplained knocking from the shadows in the basement of her decaying childhood home is honestly the least of her problems.
As her past pulls her back to the place she swore she’d never return, Willa is drawn toward the monster she left behind—and becoming the villain her hometown has always believed her to be.
Something lives under Willa’s bed. As an adult, her fondest childhood memories are of the invisible entity under her bed who taught her how to read. Now thirty-two, Willa is a reclusive but successful painter until a bombshell news report exposes her identity as the controversial survivor of the unsolved Rapture Mystery Slayings, a small-town tragedy that splashed across headlines during her senior year of high school. Six teenagers died in the woods while Willa walked free, and everyone thinks she killed them.
When an old classmate calls about a funeral, Willa reluctantly travels to her sleepy hometown, where the possessed forest that stole her friends looms. The trees whistle for her attention, but she knows better than to listen. And the unexplained knocking from the shadows in the basement of her decaying childhood home is honestly the least of her problems.
As her past pulls her back to the place she swore she’d never return, Willa is drawn toward the monster she left behind—and becoming the villain her hometown has always believed her to be.
320 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication September 15, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
May 29, 2026
I can’t believe this is a first novel. What talent! This story was super creepy and managed to keep ratcheting up the tension all the way to the end. I’m a huge horror and mystery fan, and this book had both! The characters were well developed and had engaging dialogue and back stories. The creepy ambiance was killer. The only small critique I’d offer is that the book switched timeframes abruptly and it was a bit dizzying to understand where we were in the timeline. Other than that, it was outstanding. Couldn’t ask for a better first novel and can’t wait for the next!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
May 9, 2026
Another book where I really liked the premise, but found the execution lacking 😭
The IDEA of this book absolutely rocks, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. In this book we follow Willa, who survived a massacre as a teenager and is now all grown up into a famous painter. Hell yeah. Also, just a little sidebar, no need to be alarmed but something lived under Willa's bed when she was a child. And taught her to read. No biggie. Willa learned of her favorite teacher's death and goes back to the town she swore she'd never return to for said teacher's funeral. Things take an absolute turn from there.
Honestly I just wish we did more with the monster under the bed (and the people/ghosts in the basement?!). Those moments were well written and the people in the basement were especially creepy! But if you zoom out and take a look at the plot as a whole, they kind of don't even really make sense. It's obvious this story is about Willa's trauma, lots of things happen to her (also FYI trigger warning: CSA is alluded to in this book) and the way she has chosen to deal with it all as an adult. I think the ghosts/monster under the bed could have tied into that trauma somewhere but to me it felt overlooked and just thrown in there for the sake of having something mysterious and spooky. Sorry, but I wanted more!
I just think the book was really trying to tackle far too much and, I have to be honest, not really doing any of it successfully. There's a feud with a psychic, the massacre, Willa's assault, her parent's neglect, the way the town treats her (assuming Willa is the guilty one for her school mates' deaths), and, if that wasn't enough, a random unnecessary romance with a cop. I would rather that the author had picked one or two things to focus on and flesh those things out, instead of a bunch of stuff that you never really have time to focus on and let Willa grow and progress from. It made for a chaotic reading experience if I'm honest.
And not to ruin it for anyone but I feel like the hook for this book was a total bait & switch with an unnecessary plot twist that came completely out of left field. But then again, I read so much horror that I have really refined my tastes in this genre so I know things that work for me and things that don't. Unfortunately, this book didn't end up working for me. However I think if you're new to horror or don't know what you like, I'd recommend trying this book out. My 2 star reading experience could be your 5 star, the things that bothered me might not bother you.
Thank you to the publisher for reaching out to offer an advance DRC, all opinions are my own.
The IDEA of this book absolutely rocks, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. In this book we follow Willa, who survived a massacre as a teenager and is now all grown up into a famous painter. Hell yeah. Also, just a little sidebar, no need to be alarmed but something lived under Willa's bed when she was a child. And taught her to read. No biggie. Willa learned of her favorite teacher's death and goes back to the town she swore she'd never return to for said teacher's funeral. Things take an absolute turn from there.
Honestly I just wish we did more with the monster under the bed (and the people/ghosts in the basement?!). Those moments were well written and the people in the basement were especially creepy! But if you zoom out and take a look at the plot as a whole, they kind of don't even really make sense. It's obvious this story is about Willa's trauma, lots of things happen to her (also FYI trigger warning: CSA is alluded to in this book) and the way she has chosen to deal with it all as an adult. I think the ghosts/monster under the bed could have tied into that trauma somewhere but to me it felt overlooked and just thrown in there for the sake of having something mysterious and spooky. Sorry, but I wanted more!
I just think the book was really trying to tackle far too much and, I have to be honest, not really doing any of it successfully. There's a feud with a psychic, the massacre, Willa's assault, her parent's neglect, the way the town treats her (assuming Willa is the guilty one for her school mates' deaths), and, if that wasn't enough, a random unnecessary romance with a cop. I would rather that the author had picked one or two things to focus on and flesh those things out, instead of a bunch of stuff that you never really have time to focus on and let Willa grow and progress from. It made for a chaotic reading experience if I'm honest.
And not to ruin it for anyone but I feel like the hook for this book was a total bait & switch with an unnecessary plot twist that came completely out of left field. But then again, I read so much horror that I have really refined my tastes in this genre so I know things that work for me and things that don't. Unfortunately, this book didn't end up working for me. However I think if you're new to horror or don't know what you like, I'd recommend trying this book out. My 2 star reading experience could be your 5 star, the things that bothered me might not bother you.
Thank you to the publisher for reaching out to offer an advance DRC, all opinions are my own.
May 11, 2026
I Am The Monster Under The Bed
4.5 ⭐️
I need this book to get all the hype and attention it deserves! I loved this book so much, the writing, the characters, the set up EVERYTHING!
Willa, a reclusive painter who signs her work under the pseudonym W. Sloan, is discovered and outed by a true crime journalist as the elusive Willa Renfri Greene - only survivor of a brutal murder that killed 6 teens 15 years ago. Willa hides out while her house is descended upon by a media circus until she finds out her old art teacher Mrs. Sloan has passed away. She makes her way to Rapture, her home town, and deals with the fallout and trauma of everything that happened all those years ago.
I seriously cannot praise this book enough. I went in expecting a monster book but what we got instead is a tenet portrayal of grief, trauma, friendship, kindness and love. Yes, there are monsters in the shadows but they are not the evil in this story.
I absolutely loved the way the mystery of the rapture slaying unraveled. My literal only complaint is that we don’t get an investigation into the flower man , the last chapter just sort of…implies stuff. I’d have loved to see Willa get real answers.
I also loved that Willa wasn’t exactly the most stable person, we can route for her while still being like “babe don’t make that grilled cheese!” But never once did I think her decisions were stupid or out of character.
The author tackled the Graham situation very well. There wasn’t a big moment of forgiveness, we as the reader didn’t have to move past what he did and Willa didn’t ever let go of her anger AS SHE SHOULDNT HAVE TO. I liked the way his story was wrapped up, even though I feel horrible for his daughter.
Also, I was very surprised that there was a lil bit of a romance in here but I loved that too! I thought it made a ton of sense, I liked their interactions, and i definitely think Willa deserves whatever happiness is in her future.
I loved this book, PLEASE add this to your TBR if it sounds interesting to you! This book deserves all the hype.
Thanks St. Martins Press for the arc!
4.5 ⭐️
I need this book to get all the hype and attention it deserves! I loved this book so much, the writing, the characters, the set up EVERYTHING!
Willa, a reclusive painter who signs her work under the pseudonym W. Sloan, is discovered and outed by a true crime journalist as the elusive Willa Renfri Greene - only survivor of a brutal murder that killed 6 teens 15 years ago. Willa hides out while her house is descended upon by a media circus until she finds out her old art teacher Mrs. Sloan has passed away. She makes her way to Rapture, her home town, and deals with the fallout and trauma of everything that happened all those years ago.
I seriously cannot praise this book enough. I went in expecting a monster book but what we got instead is a tenet portrayal of grief, trauma, friendship, kindness and love. Yes, there are monsters in the shadows but they are not the evil in this story.
I absolutely loved the way the mystery of the rapture slaying unraveled. My literal only complaint is that we don’t get an investigation into the flower man , the last chapter just sort of…implies stuff. I’d have loved to see Willa get real answers.
I also loved that Willa wasn’t exactly the most stable person, we can route for her while still being like “babe don’t make that grilled cheese!” But never once did I think her decisions were stupid or out of character.
The author tackled the Graham situation very well. There wasn’t a big moment of forgiveness, we as the reader didn’t have to move past what he did and Willa didn’t ever let go of her anger AS SHE SHOULDNT HAVE TO. I liked the way his story was wrapped up, even though I feel horrible for his daughter.
Also, I was very surprised that there was a lil bit of a romance in here but I loved that too! I thought it made a ton of sense, I liked their interactions, and i definitely think Willa deserves whatever happiness is in her future.
I loved this book, PLEASE add this to your TBR if it sounds interesting to you! This book deserves all the hype.
Thanks St. Martins Press for the arc!
April 15, 2026
It’s hard for me to describe this book. It’s a little horror, a little mystery, a whole lot of thriller. Nothing is what you expect. I was hooked from the very beginning. This main character is so interesting and flawed, that I adored her. Nothing went the way I thought it would. So again, hard to describe, but you’ll hurt if you miss it. This will be out in September of 2026, and it’s a perfect addition to your spooky season TBR
June 1, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
The title immediately drew me in because I love paranormal horror. I Am The Monster Under Your Bed sounded creepy, unsettling, and exactly the kind of supernatural horror I enjoy.
The story follows Willa, a successful artist who has carefully rebuilt her life under a new name, distancing herself from the tragedy that made her infamous in her hometown. Years ago, Willa and her friends went into the woods — only Willa survived. When the media exposes her identity, she’s forced back into the town that never forgot what happened.
The premise is strong. Returning home for the funeral of her former art teacher, navigating hostile locals, strange occurrences beginning again, and confronting a past she’s spent years avoiding should have made for a tense psychological/paranormal horror story.
Unfortunately, the execution didn’t fully deliver for me.
My biggest issue was the lack of development across nearly every major relationship and storyline. Willa’s former relationship with her soccer coach, Graham, should have carried substantial emotional weight. We learn they had an inappropriate relationship when she was a student, she reported him, legal action followed, and she unexpectedly encounters him upon returning home. That setup has enormous narrative potential.
But we never really know Graham. There are no meaningful flashbacks, no dialogue from their past, no deeper exploration of their dynamic or its aftermath. He exists mostly as a plot device tied to suspicion and mystery. Because of that, the emotional impact feels muted rather than complex or unsettling.
The same issue applies to Willa’s friends. Their deaths are central to the entire story, yet we learn almost nothing about who they were beyond “they died that night.” There’s very little relationship building, which made it harder for the tragedy to carry the emotional weight it seemed intended to have.
Even Eliot — the titular “monster under the bed” and Willa’s childhood imaginary companion — felt surprisingly undefined. We’re told he existed, that he comforted her, and that her parents were exhausted by hearing about him. Willa fears the basement and the quiet, veiled spirits lingering there, which creates intriguing horror imagery, but these elements remain vague rather than immersive. I wanted more atmosphere, more description, and more depth surrounding the paranormal aspects.
The pacing also felt uneven. The opening moved quickly and somewhat sporadically, while the climax and reveal felt overly drawn out. The storytelling often seemed focused on withholding information for the sake of mystery rather than fully developing the characters and relationships already on the page.
Overall, I think the idea behind this book has real potential. The premise, themes, and horror elements are all there. I just found myself wanting deeper characterization, stronger emotional connections, richer paranormal worldbuilding, and more fully realized relationships to make the story land.
There’s enough material here for a phenomenal psychological/paranormal horror novel, but nothing gets enough room to breathe.
The title immediately drew me in because I love paranormal horror. I Am The Monster Under Your Bed sounded creepy, unsettling, and exactly the kind of supernatural horror I enjoy.
The story follows Willa, a successful artist who has carefully rebuilt her life under a new name, distancing herself from the tragedy that made her infamous in her hometown. Years ago, Willa and her friends went into the woods — only Willa survived. When the media exposes her identity, she’s forced back into the town that never forgot what happened.
The premise is strong. Returning home for the funeral of her former art teacher, navigating hostile locals, strange occurrences beginning again, and confronting a past she’s spent years avoiding should have made for a tense psychological/paranormal horror story.
Unfortunately, the execution didn’t fully deliver for me.
My biggest issue was the lack of development across nearly every major relationship and storyline. Willa’s former relationship with her soccer coach, Graham, should have carried substantial emotional weight. We learn they had an inappropriate relationship when she was a student, she reported him, legal action followed, and she unexpectedly encounters him upon returning home. That setup has enormous narrative potential.
But we never really know Graham. There are no meaningful flashbacks, no dialogue from their past, no deeper exploration of their dynamic or its aftermath. He exists mostly as a plot device tied to suspicion and mystery. Because of that, the emotional impact feels muted rather than complex or unsettling.
The same issue applies to Willa’s friends. Their deaths are central to the entire story, yet we learn almost nothing about who they were beyond “they died that night.” There’s very little relationship building, which made it harder for the tragedy to carry the emotional weight it seemed intended to have.
Even Eliot — the titular “monster under the bed” and Willa’s childhood imaginary companion — felt surprisingly undefined. We’re told he existed, that he comforted her, and that her parents were exhausted by hearing about him. Willa fears the basement and the quiet, veiled spirits lingering there, which creates intriguing horror imagery, but these elements remain vague rather than immersive. I wanted more atmosphere, more description, and more depth surrounding the paranormal aspects.
The pacing also felt uneven. The opening moved quickly and somewhat sporadically, while the climax and reveal felt overly drawn out. The storytelling often seemed focused on withholding information for the sake of mystery rather than fully developing the characters and relationships already on the page.
Overall, I think the idea behind this book has real potential. The premise, themes, and horror elements are all there. I just found myself wanting deeper characterization, stronger emotional connections, richer paranormal worldbuilding, and more fully realized relationships to make the story land.
There’s enough material here for a phenomenal psychological/paranormal horror novel, but nothing gets enough room to breathe.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2026
3.5 stars here. I was so sure I was going to give Monster five fat stars when I first started reading.
The premise is amazing and I was impressed for a debut novel.
Willa has been through a lot. She was the only survivor of a teenage massacre in the woods 15 years ago and also was the main suspect since she’s the only one to survive. As if that isn’t enough for a person, she was sa’d by her young teacher and had a rough upbringing as her parents don’t believe that she really has an imaginary friend (Elliot) under the bed that helps her read and protects her. She’s now grown up and is very famous painter living under a pseudonym. She goes back to her hometown for the death of her art mentor - and things get nuts.
Whew - that’s a lot right? For me, I was obsessed with the plot as different is good. 😊 It got a little lost and I’m still not sure I understand the ins and outs of Elliot and the forest (wish we learned more here-second book?). Overall it was interesting - but I def wanted more answers.
I’m here for the next book - or whatever this author writes next. Thanks to NetGalley for my early copy. Review thoughts are my own. 🖤
The premise is amazing and I was impressed for a debut novel.
Willa has been through a lot. She was the only survivor of a teenage massacre in the woods 15 years ago and also was the main suspect since she’s the only one to survive. As if that isn’t enough for a person, she was sa’d by her young teacher and had a rough upbringing as her parents don’t believe that she really has an imaginary friend (Elliot) under the bed that helps her read and protects her. She’s now grown up and is very famous painter living under a pseudonym. She goes back to her hometown for the death of her art mentor - and things get nuts.
Whew - that’s a lot right? For me, I was obsessed with the plot as different is good. 😊 It got a little lost and I’m still not sure I understand the ins and outs of Elliot and the forest (wish we learned more here-second book?). Overall it was interesting - but I def wanted more answers.
I’m here for the next book - or whatever this author writes next. Thanks to NetGalley for my early copy. Review thoughts are my own. 🖤
June 7, 2026
2.75/5
Unfortunately, this book ended up falling a little flat for me. The ending felt both too long and too rushed at the same time, which made it difficult for the payoff to fully land. I was also left with a few unanswered questions that felt like loose ends, and in some cases, even plot holes. Other readers may not feel the same way, but they stood out to me enough to impact my enjoyment of the story.
That said, this is Emily Zinnikas’s debut novel, and there were definitely plenty of moments that kept me intrigued. While this one wasn’t quite for me, I think the concept was strong and the story was unique. I’d be interested to see what she writes in the future.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.
Unfortunately, this book ended up falling a little flat for me. The ending felt both too long and too rushed at the same time, which made it difficult for the payoff to fully land. I was also left with a few unanswered questions that felt like loose ends, and in some cases, even plot holes. Other readers may not feel the same way, but they stood out to me enough to impact my enjoyment of the story.
That said, this is Emily Zinnikas’s debut novel, and there were definitely plenty of moments that kept me intrigued. While this one wasn’t quite for me, I think the concept was strong and the story was unique. I’d be interested to see what she writes in the future.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.
June 10, 2026
First my thanks to St Martins Press and NetGalley for an ARC copy of this novel 🫶
Every book this publisher has suggested and sent to me has been a hit! I love a little horror, suspenseful, murder mystery thriller and this ticked all the boxes.
Honestly though it didn’t start getting horror/thriller for me until closer to the end. The first half of the book was just sad and emotional and I cried, no joke, at least 3 times. I just felt so deeply for Willa and what she had gone through and how people were treating her, even when she was being good and kind.
Honestly I did NOT see that ending coming at all and I’m obsessed! I can’t believe this is Emily Zinnikas’s first novel! Such a phenomenal job pacing, setting up things in the beginning to come back around at the end, keeping me engaged the whole time.
I devoured this book in like 2 days. Definitely recommend!!
Every book this publisher has suggested and sent to me has been a hit! I love a little horror, suspenseful, murder mystery thriller and this ticked all the boxes.
Honestly though it didn’t start getting horror/thriller for me until closer to the end. The first half of the book was just sad and emotional and I cried, no joke, at least 3 times. I just felt so deeply for Willa and what she had gone through and how people were treating her, even when she was being good and kind.
Honestly I did NOT see that ending coming at all and I’m obsessed! I can’t believe this is Emily Zinnikas’s first novel! Such a phenomenal job pacing, setting up things in the beginning to come back around at the end, keeping me engaged the whole time.
I devoured this book in like 2 days. Definitely recommend!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC for an avid readers' review of this book! This book kept me on edge from beginning to end! I loved that I couldn't predict what was around the next corner! For a first book I think Emily Zinnikas did an amazing job! I am a fan! As a reader I am big on how the novels end and I believe this ending was very satisfactory. I look forward to more from Emily Zinnikas and adding this book to my collection. This is my favorite horror/thriller this year!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of I Am the Monster Under the Bed, by Emily Zinnikas, from St. Martin’s Press/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.
⭐ 4.3 ⭐
As someone who is appropriately terrified of and in admiration of trees, I was totally sucked in by this book from the get-go and just thoroughly enjoyed it—and hope Emily Zinnikas (whom I’m now follow-/stalking on social media) writes more books!
That said, I did see some flaws in the execution of her premise, many of which could’ve probably been addressed had she had a stronger developmental editor. Rather than reinvent the wheel, I’ll just put a link here to Hannah Stafford’s excellent, albeit spoiler-filled review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
PS
What the hell is it with Maine and the supernatural? The Beloved Husband and I took a trip up there a few years back, complete with a self-guided (by Yours Truly) Stephen King tour in Bangor. Is it the long, dark, freezing winters or what?
I ask this sincerely, because as a child of The Deepest South, I have always found the foothills of the Appalachians and the Atchafalaya to be much scarier places than anywhere else (concurrent with not ever wanting to live anywhere else).
PPS
Can’t believe I didn’t remember to include this PPS in my initial posting.
Part of the reason I was drawn to this book in the first place is because its title reminded me of one of my most-favorite poems ever, The Monster of Childhood, by Janet McAdams. It’s from her book The Island of Lost Luggage, which received an American Book Award in 2001 and the First Book Award for Poetry from the Native Writers' Circle of the Americas in 1999. (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...)
Full Disclosure: McAdams, who was the Robert P. Hubbard Professor of Poetry at Kenyon College before retiring from her academic career, is one of my beloved sisters-in-law. That said, if you’ve ever read any of my Goodreads posts before, you’ll know that if I wasn’t a real fan of something, I would say so.
Anyway, we have a framed book art print of the poem in our guest bedroom, but it had been a while since I really read it. The last line just floored me—again, as it always does.
"The wind outside is a real wind, not pretend.
In it, the trees of childhood make a terrible sound.”
DESCRIPTION
TIME ONLY MAKES THE NIGHTMARE MORE REAL.
Something lives under Willa’s bed. As an adult, her fondest childhood memories are of the invisible entity under her bed who taught her how to read. Now thirty-two, Willa is a reclusive but successful painter until a bombshell news report exposes her identity as the controversial survivor of the unsolved Rapture Mystery Slayings, a small-town tragedy that splashed across headlines during her senior year of high school. Six teenagers died in the woods while Willa walked free, and everyone thinks she killed them.
When an old classmate calls about a funeral, Willa reluctantly travels to her sleepy hometown, where the possessed forest that stole her friends looms. The trees whistle for her attention, but she knows better than to listen. And the unexplained knocking from the shadows in the basement of her decaying childhood home is honestly the least of her problems.
As her past pulls her back to the place where she swore she’d never return, Willa is drawn toward the monster she left behind—and becoming the villain her hometown has always believed her to be.
Received a complimentary copy of I Am the Monster Under the Bed, by Emily Zinnikas, from St. Martin’s Press/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.
⭐ 4.3 ⭐
As someone who is appropriately terrified of and in admiration of trees, I was totally sucked in by this book from the get-go and just thoroughly enjoyed it—and hope Emily Zinnikas (whom I’m now follow-/stalking on social media) writes more books!
That said, I did see some flaws in the execution of her premise, many of which could’ve probably been addressed had she had a stronger developmental editor. Rather than reinvent the wheel, I’ll just put a link here to Hannah Stafford’s excellent, albeit spoiler-filled review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
PS
What the hell is it with Maine and the supernatural? The Beloved Husband and I took a trip up there a few years back, complete with a self-guided (by Yours Truly) Stephen King tour in Bangor. Is it the long, dark, freezing winters or what?
I ask this sincerely, because as a child of The Deepest South, I have always found the foothills of the Appalachians and the Atchafalaya to be much scarier places than anywhere else (concurrent with not ever wanting to live anywhere else).
PPS
Can’t believe I didn’t remember to include this PPS in my initial posting.
Part of the reason I was drawn to this book in the first place is because its title reminded me of one of my most-favorite poems ever, The Monster of Childhood, by Janet McAdams. It’s from her book The Island of Lost Luggage, which received an American Book Award in 2001 and the First Book Award for Poetry from the Native Writers' Circle of the Americas in 1999. (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...)
Full Disclosure: McAdams, who was the Robert P. Hubbard Professor of Poetry at Kenyon College before retiring from her academic career, is one of my beloved sisters-in-law. That said, if you’ve ever read any of my Goodreads posts before, you’ll know that if I wasn’t a real fan of something, I would say so.
Anyway, we have a framed book art print of the poem in our guest bedroom, but it had been a while since I really read it. The last line just floored me—again, as it always does.
"The wind outside is a real wind, not pretend.
In it, the trees of childhood make a terrible sound.”
DESCRIPTION
TIME ONLY MAKES THE NIGHTMARE MORE REAL.
Something lives under Willa’s bed. As an adult, her fondest childhood memories are of the invisible entity under her bed who taught her how to read. Now thirty-two, Willa is a reclusive but successful painter until a bombshell news report exposes her identity as the controversial survivor of the unsolved Rapture Mystery Slayings, a small-town tragedy that splashed across headlines during her senior year of high school. Six teenagers died in the woods while Willa walked free, and everyone thinks she killed them.
When an old classmate calls about a funeral, Willa reluctantly travels to her sleepy hometown, where the possessed forest that stole her friends looms. The trees whistle for her attention, but she knows better than to listen. And the unexplained knocking from the shadows in the basement of her decaying childhood home is honestly the least of her problems.
As her past pulls her back to the place where she swore she’d never return, Willa is drawn toward the monster she left behind—and becoming the villain her hometown has always believed her to be.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
If you like horror that’s more creeping dread and emotional damage than nonstop gore, “I Am the Monster Under the Bed” by Emily Zinnikas is one of those books that absolutely gets under your skin.
The story follows Willa, a reclusive artist hiding behind a pen name after surviving the infamous “Rapture Mystery Slayings” as a teen, which is the night six other teenagers died in the woods and she was the only one who came back alive. Everyone in town basically decided she was guilty, even though nothing was ever proven, and she’s spent years trying to escape the gossip, trauma, and accusations. But when her beloved former art teacher dies, Willa is forced to return home, and naturally the darkness waiting there hasn’t forgotten her.
What really surprised me about this book is that while there are monsters and ghosts and genuinely creepy paranormal moments, the real horror is mostly human. Willa grew up seeing terrifying things like ghosts in the basement and a monster under her bed that only she could see, but the people around her were often far crueler than the supernatural entities ever were. The town ostracizes her, adults fail her repeatedly, and there’s a particularly awful predatory teacher storyline that’s honestly more disturbing than anything paranormal in the book.
And yet somehow the monster under the bed becomes one of the most fascinating parts of the story. It’s sinister and deeply unsettling, but weirdly protective of Willa too. The book constantly plays with the idea of what actually makes someone monstrous, and I loved that layered approach.
Willa herself was such a strong main character. She’s messy, traumatized, angry, isolated, and not always stable, but she feels real. Even when she makes questionable choices, you understand exactly why she’s doing them. I also loved how much art mattered in the story. Her relationship with painting and creativity gave the book a softer emotional core underneath all the darkness.
The atmosphere is incredible too. The whole thing feels heavy with grief, secrets, and something lurking just out of sight. The horror leans more psychological and ominous than jump-scare scary, and the slow-burn tension worked really well for me. Then the last chunk of the book goes absolutely feral in the best way with twists, revelations, revenge, and a bloody climax where the human monsters and literal monsters collide.
I will say the timeline jumps between past and present can occasionally feel abrupt, and there were a few supernatural elements I wished had been explored more deeply. But honestly? I was so emotionally invested in Willa by the end that I didn’t care much.
Overall, this felt like a mix of supernatural horror, thriller, mystery, and raw trauma narrative all wrapped together. Creepy, emotional, angry, and strangely heartfelt at the same time. Basically: come for the monster under the bed, stay for the devastating realization that the humans are worse.
If you like horror that’s more creeping dread and emotional damage than nonstop gore, “I Am the Monster Under the Bed” by Emily Zinnikas is one of those books that absolutely gets under your skin.
The story follows Willa, a reclusive artist hiding behind a pen name after surviving the infamous “Rapture Mystery Slayings” as a teen, which is the night six other teenagers died in the woods and she was the only one who came back alive. Everyone in town basically decided she was guilty, even though nothing was ever proven, and she’s spent years trying to escape the gossip, trauma, and accusations. But when her beloved former art teacher dies, Willa is forced to return home, and naturally the darkness waiting there hasn’t forgotten her.
What really surprised me about this book is that while there are monsters and ghosts and genuinely creepy paranormal moments, the real horror is mostly human. Willa grew up seeing terrifying things like ghosts in the basement and a monster under her bed that only she could see, but the people around her were often far crueler than the supernatural entities ever were. The town ostracizes her, adults fail her repeatedly, and there’s a particularly awful predatory teacher storyline that’s honestly more disturbing than anything paranormal in the book.
And yet somehow the monster under the bed becomes one of the most fascinating parts of the story. It’s sinister and deeply unsettling, but weirdly protective of Willa too. The book constantly plays with the idea of what actually makes someone monstrous, and I loved that layered approach.
Willa herself was such a strong main character. She’s messy, traumatized, angry, isolated, and not always stable, but she feels real. Even when she makes questionable choices, you understand exactly why she’s doing them. I also loved how much art mattered in the story. Her relationship with painting and creativity gave the book a softer emotional core underneath all the darkness.
The atmosphere is incredible too. The whole thing feels heavy with grief, secrets, and something lurking just out of sight. The horror leans more psychological and ominous than jump-scare scary, and the slow-burn tension worked really well for me. Then the last chunk of the book goes absolutely feral in the best way with twists, revelations, revenge, and a bloody climax where the human monsters and literal monsters collide.
I will say the timeline jumps between past and present can occasionally feel abrupt, and there were a few supernatural elements I wished had been explored more deeply. But honestly? I was so emotionally invested in Willa by the end that I didn’t care much.
Overall, this felt like a mix of supernatural horror, thriller, mystery, and raw trauma narrative all wrapped together. Creepy, emotional, angry, and strangely heartfelt at the same time. Basically: come for the monster under the bed, stay for the devastating realization that the humans are worse.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Huge thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the opportunity to read and review I am the Monster Under the Bed.
Growing up in the small town of Rapture was not easy for Willa. Like many children, Willa had a monster living under her bed. Affectionally known as Elliot, Willa befriended her monster. Elliot protected her, taught her how to read and cautioned Willa to be afraid of the mysterious people in the basement. Like Elliot, the people in the basement were only visible to Willa, who saw things and heard things other people could not. Her parents refused to believe Willa's stories and worried that she would never be normal. These worries eased as Will entered high school and made friends, until one fateful night when Willa entered the woods with six of her friends one night. By nights end, only Willa was left alive.
Fast forward to present day, Willa is a reclusive painter hiding from her past, until her story is leaked by the press. Stalked by hungry reporters Willa decides to return to her hometown for the funeral of a former teacher. Treated as a villainous outcast by the residents, Willa soon you can never really leave your past behind.
Rating this 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. I am the Monster Under the Bed started out strong but fell apart towards the end. Emily Zinnikas is a great writer, the story was engaging, I was wrapped up desperate to know what was hiding in the woods, and what really happened in the woods on that night so many years ago, but unfortunately as the story progressed the plot just got messy and almost silly.
What worked: The writing was great, Emily Zinnikas writes in a style similar to the G.O.A.T, T. Kingfisher. The tension and anxiety built wonderfully and Willa started as a smart, funny character that I really related too.
What didn't work: As I said, the first half of the story was great, but the second half just did not work for me. Characters were introduced with backstories that really did not contribute to the story overall and honestly Willa's character and actions degraded to the point where I was reacting as a meme (oh baby no, what is you doing??). Parts of the story were introduced with no backstory or conclusion; we never learned who or what the people in the basement were or why they were there, and we never got an explanation on where Elliot came from and what exactly they were. And the "show-down" scene where we meet the villain behind the mask was just way too long and sadly a little boring.
Don't get me wrong, this is an entertaining story I just feel like it needed to cleaned up and some unanswered plot holes addressed.
Growing up in the small town of Rapture was not easy for Willa. Like many children, Willa had a monster living under her bed. Affectionally known as Elliot, Willa befriended her monster. Elliot protected her, taught her how to read and cautioned Willa to be afraid of the mysterious people in the basement. Like Elliot, the people in the basement were only visible to Willa, who saw things and heard things other people could not. Her parents refused to believe Willa's stories and worried that she would never be normal. These worries eased as Will entered high school and made friends, until one fateful night when Willa entered the woods with six of her friends one night. By nights end, only Willa was left alive.
Fast forward to present day, Willa is a reclusive painter hiding from her past, until her story is leaked by the press. Stalked by hungry reporters Willa decides to return to her hometown for the funeral of a former teacher. Treated as a villainous outcast by the residents, Willa soon you can never really leave your past behind.
Rating this 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. I am the Monster Under the Bed started out strong but fell apart towards the end. Emily Zinnikas is a great writer, the story was engaging, I was wrapped up desperate to know what was hiding in the woods, and what really happened in the woods on that night so many years ago, but unfortunately as the story progressed the plot just got messy and almost silly.
What worked: The writing was great, Emily Zinnikas writes in a style similar to the G.O.A.T, T. Kingfisher. The tension and anxiety built wonderfully and Willa started as a smart, funny character that I really related too.
What didn't work: As I said, the first half of the story was great, but the second half just did not work for me. Characters were introduced with backstories that really did not contribute to the story overall and honestly Willa's character and actions degraded to the point where I was reacting as a meme (oh baby no, what is you doing??). Parts of the story were introduced with no backstory or conclusion; we never learned who or what the people in the basement were or why they were there, and we never got an explanation on where Elliot came from and what exactly they were. And the "show-down" scene where we meet the villain behind the mask was just way too long and sadly a little boring.
Don't get me wrong, this is an entertaining story I just feel like it needed to cleaned up and some unanswered plot holes addressed.
June 25, 2026
ARC REVIEW, thank you NetGalley and Publishers!
Rating: 3.5 stars
First I would like to start with the fact this is a debut novel. For a debut I think this shows A LOT of potential for this new author. She is definitely in the right genre. Her ability to set up creepy scenes and make them feel so real. She can describe small details in a very eerie light that I found very effective! There were a few instances where I was definitely wide eyed. I love paranormal horror that isn’t afraid to be just that. Who cares if something is a “cliche” it works and it sure does send shivers down my spine! I also really enjoyed the pacing of the story. Sometimes it would come in small snippets and I like that! I found it made the story so quick to consume. The pacing slowed toward the end but I believe that was a plot device to show the climax occurring. So I just want to preface this by saying I think this is a great debut. I think Zinnikas has a lot of potential to be a great horror author and I will put any book she publishes in the future on my tbr.
However, I must say I think when it comes to character writing it doesn’t feel like her strong suit just yet. I think with more practice she has the writing skills to make her characters more effective. For me I feel like Willa was constantly contradicting herself. One minute she is a shy reclusive person and the next she is this confident outspoken individual. She would seem very intelligent and then make a decision or act in a way that the other part of her would never decide to do making her come off as a bit dumb. It was hard to figure out who Willa was as a person. I think this is compounded by the fact Willa kept the reader in the dark a bit too much. She would make me very frustrated. She would also never admit to anything. Which I understand for the people outside the characters pov but for the reader it got to a point where I was getting mad at her. She would see something unexplainable get mad when someone wouldn’t believe her in the past and then the next moment chastise someone else for trying to express the same thing. In summary Willa irritated me and her decisions came off as selfish a lot.
I also think there might have been a little too much going on. Multiple supernatural elements that are never fully explained plus a cryptid element plus crime and thriller elements. There was too much and not enough time to explain it all.
But I have to be honest it did keep me hooked. If I picked the book up it was hard for me to put it down.
All in all this was a solid horror/thriller I think it could use some tuning up but I am eager to see what Zinnikas writes next!!
Rating: 3.5 stars
First I would like to start with the fact this is a debut novel. For a debut I think this shows A LOT of potential for this new author. She is definitely in the right genre. Her ability to set up creepy scenes and make them feel so real. She can describe small details in a very eerie light that I found very effective! There were a few instances where I was definitely wide eyed. I love paranormal horror that isn’t afraid to be just that. Who cares if something is a “cliche” it works and it sure does send shivers down my spine! I also really enjoyed the pacing of the story. Sometimes it would come in small snippets and I like that! I found it made the story so quick to consume. The pacing slowed toward the end but I believe that was a plot device to show the climax occurring. So I just want to preface this by saying I think this is a great debut. I think Zinnikas has a lot of potential to be a great horror author and I will put any book she publishes in the future on my tbr.
However, I must say I think when it comes to character writing it doesn’t feel like her strong suit just yet. I think with more practice she has the writing skills to make her characters more effective. For me I feel like Willa was constantly contradicting herself. One minute she is a shy reclusive person and the next she is this confident outspoken individual. She would seem very intelligent and then make a decision or act in a way that the other part of her would never decide to do making her come off as a bit dumb. It was hard to figure out who Willa was as a person. I think this is compounded by the fact Willa kept the reader in the dark a bit too much. She would make me very frustrated. She would also never admit to anything. Which I understand for the people outside the characters pov but for the reader it got to a point where I was getting mad at her. She would see something unexplainable get mad when someone wouldn’t believe her in the past and then the next moment chastise someone else for trying to express the same thing. In summary Willa irritated me and her decisions came off as selfish a lot.
I also think there might have been a little too much going on. Multiple supernatural elements that are never fully explained plus a cryptid element plus crime and thriller elements. There was too much and not enough time to explain it all.
But I have to be honest it did keep me hooked. If I picked the book up it was hard for me to put it down.
All in all this was a solid horror/thriller I think it could use some tuning up but I am eager to see what Zinnikas writes next!!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This book had everything I never knew I wanted. This was a thriller slash horror book with so much suspense and ominous vibes that it leaves the reader looking over their shoulder at every sound. As a young child our main character, Willa, decides that instead of fearing the monster she spies under her bed she is going to befriend it. Now while this sounds like a cute and sweet story this is anything but. The entity under the bed is written with such a dark and sinister feeling that as a reader I was concerned about what was going to go wrong. The fascinating thing is as terrifying as this monster is to the reader and our main character, it always seems to help Willa all be it in a slightly disturbing way. As a young child Willa was the only survivor of a horrible murder that left the whole town certain of her guilt. Even though she never wavers from her innocence, the town chooses not to listen. Thinking she has grown up and moved past everything she is soon horrified to learn of a beloved teacher’s passing. Against her better judgement she finds herself right back in town again and back to the same darkness that followed her as child. This darkness seems to be waiting patiently for her to return. This book was very sinister and relied heavily on vibes and what might have been instead of typical jump scares which I super loved about it. This made the whole book much more intense and more addicting to read. I loved the simplicity of the writing style as well as the author’s ability to not go overboard on the suspense and lose the reader all together. I was completely addicted to this book and couldn’t get enough of it. I loved every second and every time it changed it only got better. The ending of this book was great it really tired everything together and managed to give us even more supernatural feelings. Fantastic job, I’m so glad I got the chance to check it out. I highly suggest this book because even if horror isn’t your thing, which is the case for me, this one blurs the line between scary and suspenseful all the while still pulling off a magnificent plot and character development. This is a book that must be added to everyone’s TBR regardless of their novel tastes because I feel that this book is one that everyone should get the chance to enjoy. I’m so glad I was able to read this book because it was everything I didn’t know I needed in a book. Great job and I can’t wait to see everyone talk about this book once it hits shelves
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was completely drawn into I Am the Monster Under the Bed by Emily Zinnikas, even though horror is not a genre I read very often.
Willa Renfri Greene is a wonderfully complex and believable character. I found myself feeling deeply for her as she struggled with being misunderstood and dismissed by both her parents and those around her. As a child, her fear of the basement and the mysterious presence beneath her bed made her an outcast, and I couldn’t help but sympathize with her loneliness. There were several moments that genuinely moved me to tears as I felt her sadness and pain.
The story follows Willa, now a renowned painter living in seclusion after surviving a horrific tragedy 15 years earlier, when six of her friends were brutally murdered in the woods outside their hometown. Willa was the only survivor—but what really happened that terrible night?
As questions continue to swirl, psychic Nathanial Lennox desperately wants Willa to appear on his show and tell her story, but she refuses all of his calls.
When her beloved teacher passes away, Willa returns to Rapture to pay her respects, only to find that many of the townspeople are far from happy to see her back.
There are also brief references to a troubling friendship Willa had with her high school soccer coach, an experience that clearly left her traumatized and continued to weigh on her years later. I found that storyline intriguing and impactful, but I wish it had been explored in greater depth, as it seemed to have significant emotional consequences for her character.
My only complaint is that I was left with quite a few unanswered questions. I won’t mention them here because I don’t want to spoil anything for future readers, but I would have loved a bit more closure. I would love to see a sequel to this novel in hopes it would answer the many questions that I have and find out what happens to the characters I came to care about.
Overall, I thought this was an excellent read and highly recommend it to fans of horror, mystery, and psychological suspense. Even as someone who rarely picks up horror novels, I found it captivating from beginning to end.
Thanks to Netgalley and Emily Zinnikas for an advanced copy of this book.
Willa Renfri Greene is a wonderfully complex and believable character. I found myself feeling deeply for her as she struggled with being misunderstood and dismissed by both her parents and those around her. As a child, her fear of the basement and the mysterious presence beneath her bed made her an outcast, and I couldn’t help but sympathize with her loneliness. There were several moments that genuinely moved me to tears as I felt her sadness and pain.
The story follows Willa, now a renowned painter living in seclusion after surviving a horrific tragedy 15 years earlier, when six of her friends were brutally murdered in the woods outside their hometown. Willa was the only survivor—but what really happened that terrible night?
As questions continue to swirl, psychic Nathanial Lennox desperately wants Willa to appear on his show and tell her story, but she refuses all of his calls.
When her beloved teacher passes away, Willa returns to Rapture to pay her respects, only to find that many of the townspeople are far from happy to see her back.
There are also brief references to a troubling friendship Willa had with her high school soccer coach, an experience that clearly left her traumatized and continued to weigh on her years later. I found that storyline intriguing and impactful, but I wish it had been explored in greater depth, as it seemed to have significant emotional consequences for her character.
My only complaint is that I was left with quite a few unanswered questions. I won’t mention them here because I don’t want to spoil anything for future readers, but I would have loved a bit more closure. I would love to see a sequel to this novel in hopes it would answer the many questions that I have and find out what happens to the characters I came to care about.
Overall, I thought this was an excellent read and highly recommend it to fans of horror, mystery, and psychological suspense. Even as someone who rarely picks up horror novels, I found it captivating from beginning to end.
Thanks to Netgalley and Emily Zinnikas for an advanced copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This debut novel by Emily Zinnikas is the story of Willa, a thirty-two-year-old woman who has carved out a career in the arts as a painter of some renown. The story opens when Willa, who paints under the name of W. Sloane, agrees to sit for an interview she believes is for an art magazine. But it’s not an interview, it’s an ambush. The interviewer has pierced the veil of Willa’s past and confronts her with it, revealing the painter’s real name (Willa Renfri Greene) and that she is formerly of Rapture, Maine and the only survivor of the “Rapture Mystery Slayings” that occurred fifteen years prior. The resulting video the interviewer surreptitiously takes is broadcast on a tv show, Eye of Lennox, hosted by so-called psychic, Nathaniel Lennox, who is obsessed with the murders. As a result, Willa’s home is surrounded by media, all wanting a piece of her and, after talking with a former classmate from Rapture and finding out her beloved high school art teacher has passed, Willa decides to flee, return to her old hometown, and pay her respects. However, her planned two-day trip stretches as she is forced to confront demons from her past and her present.
This was a very good read. Dark and twisty, the story shifts back and forth in time, giving the reader a glimpse of Willa’s life as a child – a child who can see things that others can’t. We also see her as a teenager, seduced by her soccer coach, a man seven years older than she. The coach, who was fired from his teaching job, has also returned to Rapture, setting up a dramatic confrontation. But the central mystery remains, what happened in the woods fifteen years ago that left a group of teenagers dead, all except one? Was Willa to blame? Or was it something in the woods – something only Willa can see?
I really enjoyed most of this novel. Toward the end, however, it veered into what, for me, was too much physical horror. I prefer the quiet horror that permeated most of the book. Also, there were questions left unanswered related to Willa’s second sight that left this reader wanting more. However, all in all, this is a wonderful debut novel and I look forward to reading more of author Zinnikas in the future.
This was a very good read. Dark and twisty, the story shifts back and forth in time, giving the reader a glimpse of Willa’s life as a child – a child who can see things that others can’t. We also see her as a teenager, seduced by her soccer coach, a man seven years older than she. The coach, who was fired from his teaching job, has also returned to Rapture, setting up a dramatic confrontation. But the central mystery remains, what happened in the woods fifteen years ago that left a group of teenagers dead, all except one? Was Willa to blame? Or was it something in the woods – something only Willa can see?
I really enjoyed most of this novel. Toward the end, however, it veered into what, for me, was too much physical horror. I prefer the quiet horror that permeated most of the book. Also, there were questions left unanswered related to Willa’s second sight that left this reader wanting more. However, all in all, this is a wonderful debut novel and I look forward to reading more of author Zinnikas in the future.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As a child, Willa was friends with the monster under her bed. In the present, she's a famous artist and she has a feud with a television psychic, which is a fun set up.
She was a murder suspect when she was 17. When news breaks that the case is reopening, paparazzi start camping out in front of her home. There's even a live feed of her house which seems over the top. The book acts like artists are as famous as actors or royalty, which didn't ring true to me. Also, she's presented as being famous because she's a really good artist. In the real world, there's thousands of excellent artists who aren't famous because fame has more to do with luck and who you know than just talent by itself.
She gives the paparazzi the slip and returns to her childhood hometown where almost all the townspeople are hostile towards her, blaming her for the deaths she was accused of years ago. How could anyone think a 17-year-old girl is capable of overpowering six of her friends without getting a scratch on her? She'd have to have superpowers to do what she's accused of.
When someone starts stalking her, rather than calling the police, she decides to stalk them back, which is an interesting choice. I like that Willa ended up having to team up with a couple former enemies to defeat an even worse enemy.
The book feels a bit sloppy in some ways. At one point, Willa gets locked in a basement and the issue of needing to go to the bathroom doesn't come up for the first twelve hours. Who can go that long without peeing? Willa also forgets she has a gun until after she's locked up. Huh? There's no explanation for why she's afraid of the basement ghosts, but not the ghost under her bed. Also, everyone in town apparently believes there's a monster in the woods, but at the same time none of them think the monster killed those kids.
These problems aside, it's still a fun book overall with action, scares, and surprise twists. It's pretty enjoyable overall.
She was a murder suspect when she was 17. When news breaks that the case is reopening, paparazzi start camping out in front of her home. There's even a live feed of her house which seems over the top. The book acts like artists are as famous as actors or royalty, which didn't ring true to me. Also, she's presented as being famous because she's a really good artist. In the real world, there's thousands of excellent artists who aren't famous because fame has more to do with luck and who you know than just talent by itself.
She gives the paparazzi the slip and returns to her childhood hometown where almost all the townspeople are hostile towards her, blaming her for the deaths she was accused of years ago. How could anyone think a 17-year-old girl is capable of overpowering six of her friends without getting a scratch on her? She'd have to have superpowers to do what she's accused of.
When someone starts stalking her, rather than calling the police, she decides to stalk them back, which is an interesting choice. I like that Willa ended up having to team up with a couple former enemies to defeat an even worse enemy.
The book feels a bit sloppy in some ways. At one point, Willa gets locked in a basement and the issue of needing to go to the bathroom doesn't come up for the first twelve hours. Who can go that long without peeing? Willa also forgets she has a gun until after she's locked up. Huh? There's no explanation for why she's afraid of the basement ghosts, but not the ghost under her bed. Also, everyone in town apparently believes there's a monster in the woods, but at the same time none of them think the monster killed those kids.
These problems aside, it's still a fun book overall with action, scares, and surprise twists. It's pretty enjoyable overall.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
📝 ARC Review: Excellent debut novel!
Fifteen years ago, 7 teens went into the woods. Only 1 came out. That survivor was quickly turned into the main suspect for their grisly murders. Now, she’s been found after trying to escape her bad reputation and the media hounds have closed in. Hearing of the death of someone special to her, she forces herself to return to the small town of people who still hate her, to pay her respects to the one person who never thought badly of her. But someone is stalking her, toying with her. And now that she’s back in town, the forest is coming alive once more. It’s time to face the past head on…
This story was eerie and gripping in the best ways! From a little girl whose parents thought something was wrong with her because of her friend who lived under her bed and the forest that spoke to her, to a teen that wasn’t believed or trusted, to a woman being hunted by a threat she doesn’t understand as well as she thinks she does. The slow building dread of this story had me on the edge of my seat, holding my breath! There were some twists towards the end that I did not see coming and I really enjoyed seeing how everything played out! The paranormal vibes gave me chills multiple times! And the ending was perfect for feminine rage and a heartwarming conclusion all tied together.
Genre: Paranormal Thriller/Horror
POV: First Person; Single
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5
Release Date: September 15, 2026
Vibes: Slow building dread and anticipation of what would come next!
Tropes 👇
- Unsolved murders
- Small town grudges
- Artist FMC
- Paranormal vibes
- Feminine rage
- Plot twists
- Media frenzy
- Low key sparks between FMC & a cop
CW’s 👇
- Stalking
- Mention of teacher mol£sting a student (no graphic details, past references)
- Physical assault/bodily injury
- Murder
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Fifteen years ago, 7 teens went into the woods. Only 1 came out. That survivor was quickly turned into the main suspect for their grisly murders. Now, she’s been found after trying to escape her bad reputation and the media hounds have closed in. Hearing of the death of someone special to her, she forces herself to return to the small town of people who still hate her, to pay her respects to the one person who never thought badly of her. But someone is stalking her, toying with her. And now that she’s back in town, the forest is coming alive once more. It’s time to face the past head on…
This story was eerie and gripping in the best ways! From a little girl whose parents thought something was wrong with her because of her friend who lived under her bed and the forest that spoke to her, to a teen that wasn’t believed or trusted, to a woman being hunted by a threat she doesn’t understand as well as she thinks she does. The slow building dread of this story had me on the edge of my seat, holding my breath! There were some twists towards the end that I did not see coming and I really enjoyed seeing how everything played out! The paranormal vibes gave me chills multiple times! And the ending was perfect for feminine rage and a heartwarming conclusion all tied together.
Genre: Paranormal Thriller/Horror
POV: First Person; Single
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5
Release Date: September 15, 2026
Vibes: Slow building dread and anticipation of what would come next!
Tropes 👇
- Unsolved murders
- Small town grudges
- Artist FMC
- Paranormal vibes
- Feminine rage
- Plot twists
- Media frenzy
- Low key sparks between FMC & a cop
CW’s 👇
- Stalking
- Mention of teacher mol£sting a student (no graphic details, past references)
- Physical assault/bodily injury
- Murder
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (more like a high 4.5 / low 5)
I had a really good time with this one.
From the very beginning, the book hooked me with questions and never quite let go. Every flashback, odd comment, and seemingly random detail felt important. I kept trying to piece everything together and every new clue would make me rethink my theories. It's one of those books that has you paying attention because you feel like anything could matter.
Willa was a compelling protagonist. I liked that I was never completely sure what to believe. Is she haunted? Is she mentally ill? Is something protecting her? Are the woods alive? The book does a great job balancing supernatural and psychological elements and keeping multiple possibilities open at once.
The atmosphere was fantastic too. Creepy without relying heavily on gore, unsettling without feeling over the top. I also appreciated that the mystery wasn't obvious. I had plenty of theories throughout, but the story didn't go exactly where I expected.
My biggest criticism is the ending. Overall, I liked it and thought it wrapped things up reasonably well, but there were a few loose ends that I wish had been explored more. The supernatural aspects that fascinated me early on felt pushed a bit to the background later in the story, and I would have loved a little more payoff there. The town's sudden shift in attitude also felt a bit abrupt to me.
That said, none of those issues stopped me from enjoying the book. This was an easy read and a genuine page-turner. Even when the pacing slowed slightly in the middle, I still wanted to keep reading and figure out what was really going on.
For a debut novel, this is incredibly impressive. It's atmospheric, mysterious, and kept me theorizing long after I put it down. I'll absolutely be keeping an eye out for whatever Emily Zinnikas writes next.
Recommended for readers who enjoy atmospheric horror, mysteries, unreliable narrators, and stories where the answers aren't always obvious.
I had a really good time with this one.
From the very beginning, the book hooked me with questions and never quite let go. Every flashback, odd comment, and seemingly random detail felt important. I kept trying to piece everything together and every new clue would make me rethink my theories. It's one of those books that has you paying attention because you feel like anything could matter.
Willa was a compelling protagonist. I liked that I was never completely sure what to believe. Is she haunted? Is she mentally ill? Is something protecting her? Are the woods alive? The book does a great job balancing supernatural and psychological elements and keeping multiple possibilities open at once.
The atmosphere was fantastic too. Creepy without relying heavily on gore, unsettling without feeling over the top. I also appreciated that the mystery wasn't obvious. I had plenty of theories throughout, but the story didn't go exactly where I expected.
My biggest criticism is the ending. Overall, I liked it and thought it wrapped things up reasonably well, but there were a few loose ends that I wish had been explored more. The supernatural aspects that fascinated me early on felt pushed a bit to the background later in the story, and I would have loved a little more payoff there. The town's sudden shift in attitude also felt a bit abrupt to me.
That said, none of those issues stopped me from enjoying the book. This was an easy read and a genuine page-turner. Even when the pacing slowed slightly in the middle, I still wanted to keep reading and figure out what was really going on.
For a debut novel, this is incredibly impressive. It's atmospheric, mysterious, and kept me theorizing long after I put it down. I'll absolutely be keeping an eye out for whatever Emily Zinnikas writes next.
Recommended for readers who enjoy atmospheric horror, mysteries, unreliable narrators, and stories where the answers aren't always obvious.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, though the beginning was not my favorite, once I was a few chapters in, I was hooked. Good pacing and revealed just enough of the story along the way to keep me engaged without feeling under or over-informed on the occurrences. Wanted to force Willa to let Rachel and Callum in more but understood why she was hesitant. Recommend to fans of small-town drama, supernatural horror, and redemption stories.
Willa hasn't been to her hometown since she left it for NYC after high school. There was nothing there for her after the disbelief of the community when she came forward about abuse at the hands of her soccer coach, and many people there think she is responsible for the massacre of six of her friends their senior year of high school. She ran away and turned to her natural artistic talents to live an isolated life painting under an assumed name in Pennsylvania. Her fondest childhood memories are of the entity under her bed that her parents tried to convince her was an imaginary friend staying past its prime.
Now Willa is 32 and what her agent pitched as a profile of her painting alias becomes an unmasking as the reporter exposes her identity as the survivor of the still unsolved Rapture Mystery Slayings. Many in her hometown still believe Willa was behind the killings, and a media frenzy shows up at her front door. So, when an old friend calls to inform her about the death of her beloved art teacher, whose name Willa borrowed for her alias, she decides it may finally be time to go home. The town has a frosty welcome for Willa, which she tries to ignore along with the whistling from the forest and the knocking from the shadows in her basement. As Willa receives threatening missives from an unknown source, she may have to get to the bottom of what happened all those years ago, whether she wants to or not. Because something, or someone, is determined to make her.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
Willa hasn't been to her hometown since she left it for NYC after high school. There was nothing there for her after the disbelief of the community when she came forward about abuse at the hands of her soccer coach, and many people there think she is responsible for the massacre of six of her friends their senior year of high school. She ran away and turned to her natural artistic talents to live an isolated life painting under an assumed name in Pennsylvania. Her fondest childhood memories are of the entity under her bed that her parents tried to convince her was an imaginary friend staying past its prime.
Now Willa is 32 and what her agent pitched as a profile of her painting alias becomes an unmasking as the reporter exposes her identity as the survivor of the still unsolved Rapture Mystery Slayings. Many in her hometown still believe Willa was behind the killings, and a media frenzy shows up at her front door. So, when an old friend calls to inform her about the death of her beloved art teacher, whose name Willa borrowed for her alias, she decides it may finally be time to go home. The town has a frosty welcome for Willa, which she tries to ignore along with the whistling from the forest and the knocking from the shadows in her basement. As Willa receives threatening missives from an unknown source, she may have to get to the bottom of what happened all those years ago, whether she wants to or not. Because something, or someone, is determined to make her.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's press for the ARC of I Am the Monster Under the Bed.
Emily Zinnikas, if this is your debut novel I cannot wait to see what you come up with next! Willa is living in seclusion after being blacklisted from her small hometown of Rapture, Maine following a horrific murder 15 years ago, where seven people entered the woods and only she came out alive. Now a successful painter working under a pseudonym, she spends her days creating while still haunted by the trauma of the massacre and her unsettling childhood, when she was surrounded by entities in her home, one of whom she considered her best friend, Elliot.
After an interview goes wrong, Willa is doxed and harassed as the anniversary of the massacre approaches. Around the same time, she learns that her favorite teacher, the person who helped her navigate a difficult childhood and inspired her career, has passed away. Despite knowing she isn’t welcome, she returns to Rapture for a quick visit to pay her respects. What she doesn’t expect is that her childhood home and the woods behind it still have something waiting for her.
I can’t remember the last time I read a book this quickly. I had been in a reading slump after several similar plots, and this completely pulled me out of it. The chapters are short and well paced, with just enough happening to keep things moving without dragging. The atmosphere is deeply unsettling, largely because Willa is such an unreliable narrator. I was never quite sure whether what she was experiencing was real or imagined, and that tension carried through to the end. The only element I wish had been explored a bit more was the storyline with Graham. While it is possible to read between the lines, having more context on their past would have added depth.
Emily Zinnikas, if this is your debut novel I cannot wait to see what you come up with next! Willa is living in seclusion after being blacklisted from her small hometown of Rapture, Maine following a horrific murder 15 years ago, where seven people entered the woods and only she came out alive. Now a successful painter working under a pseudonym, she spends her days creating while still haunted by the trauma of the massacre and her unsettling childhood, when she was surrounded by entities in her home, one of whom she considered her best friend, Elliot.
After an interview goes wrong, Willa is doxed and harassed as the anniversary of the massacre approaches. Around the same time, she learns that her favorite teacher, the person who helped her navigate a difficult childhood and inspired her career, has passed away. Despite knowing she isn’t welcome, she returns to Rapture for a quick visit to pay her respects. What she doesn’t expect is that her childhood home and the woods behind it still have something waiting for her.
I can’t remember the last time I read a book this quickly. I had been in a reading slump after several similar plots, and this completely pulled me out of it. The chapters are short and well paced, with just enough happening to keep things moving without dragging. The atmosphere is deeply unsettling, largely because Willa is such an unreliable narrator. I was never quite sure whether what she was experiencing was real or imagined, and that tension carried through to the end. The only element I wish had been explored a bit more was the storyline with Graham. While it is possible to read between the lines, having more context on their past would have added depth.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I wanted to read this book because of the following sentence in the blurb:
"As an adult, her fondest childhood memories are of the invisible entity under her bed who taught her how to read."
I mean, how creepily adorable is that!?
This book is dark and gut-wrenching and extremely tense, with a guarded and very complicated FMC. Willa lives her life haunted by her past and in constant torment by all the horrible things people believe about her. It is a hard book to summarize without giving too much away, but in the middle of the book I started to think . . . hmmm where is this going? . . . Is it all in her head? Narrator: It was not all in her head 😳.
This story explores a myriad of questions. What is evil? What is it to know yourself and trust your instincts? What is it to change and grow and learn from your past?
The true beauty for me is that after all the gore and misery, the resolution reveals a silver living. It's a subtle slight of the hand reaching out to anyone who might feel a little bit different or misunderstood; for those who might not quite fit in; for anyone whose imagination might take them just a little too far, and maybe a push for those who don't let theirs take them far enough.
I think it's truly impressive when an author can write a psychological horror thriller that has depth, heart, and multiple redemption arcs. That it be creepy, foreboding, and disturbing, but also almost enchanting in the range of emotions it elicits. This is absolutely a book where you read the last sentence and then stare at the wall for an hour.
I do think it could have been slightly edited in some repetitive parts, and others could have been fleshed out a little bit more, but WOW. I love a unique thriller/horror concept and a book that makes you think. A truly incredible debut!
"As an adult, her fondest childhood memories are of the invisible entity under her bed who taught her how to read."
I mean, how creepily adorable is that!?
This book is dark and gut-wrenching and extremely tense, with a guarded and very complicated FMC. Willa lives her life haunted by her past and in constant torment by all the horrible things people believe about her. It is a hard book to summarize without giving too much away, but in the middle of the book I started to think . . . hmmm where is this going? . . . Is it all in her head? Narrator: It was not all in her head 😳.
This story explores a myriad of questions. What is evil? What is it to know yourself and trust your instincts? What is it to change and grow and learn from your past?
The true beauty for me is that after all the gore and misery, the resolution reveals a silver living. It's a subtle slight of the hand reaching out to anyone who might feel a little bit different or misunderstood; for those who might not quite fit in; for anyone whose imagination might take them just a little too far, and maybe a push for those who don't let theirs take them far enough.
I think it's truly impressive when an author can write a psychological horror thriller that has depth, heart, and multiple redemption arcs. That it be creepy, foreboding, and disturbing, but also almost enchanting in the range of emotions it elicits. This is absolutely a book where you read the last sentence and then stare at the wall for an hour.
I do think it could have been slightly edited in some repetitive parts, and others could have been fleshed out a little bit more, but WOW. I love a unique thriller/horror concept and a book that makes you think. A truly incredible debut!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
🖼 Thank you, St. Martin's Press, for the advanced copy of this ebook 🖼
I've been in a thriller/horror/suspense/mystery mood lately, and this one really hit those vibes. Our main protagonist, Willa, is an artist who fled her hometown after being suspected of involvement in the murder of her classmates on a careless night in the woods. Her trauma goes much further than that night, however, as she's also the survivor of CSA by one of her coaches, neglected by her parents, and she's got actual monsters living beneath her bed and in her basement as a child.
So returning home to Rapture, Maine is the last thing on her mind...until she's got a deeply compelling reason.
For about the first half of the book, this was a solid five stars for me. Lots of tension, which is created in part by shifts back and forth between the present and Willa's past to illuminate her trauma and highlight it's lasting impacts on her. There's also great spine-tingling suspense, about what really happened to Willa's friends the night they were murdered, and what sort of monsters really live beneath her childhood bed and in her basement. Very creepy, very intense, totally a vibe.
I did get a bit put off once we got to the kidnapping stage of the book. The kidnappers motivation for intending to harm Willa just didn't hold water for me. Yes, it created opportunities for more tension and the risk of death, but it felt like flimsy justification for the kind of harm that was carried out and planned.
I liked the ending, as it felt kind of full circle, like what I was expecting from the story in the first place. For the great start, and the recovery of that finale, I'm going with a 3.5 star rating, rounded up.
I'll definitely be looking forward to reading more of Emily Zinnikas' work.
I've been in a thriller/horror/suspense/mystery mood lately, and this one really hit those vibes. Our main protagonist, Willa, is an artist who fled her hometown after being suspected of involvement in the murder of her classmates on a careless night in the woods. Her trauma goes much further than that night, however, as she's also the survivor of CSA by one of her coaches, neglected by her parents, and she's got actual monsters living beneath her bed and in her basement as a child.
So returning home to Rapture, Maine is the last thing on her mind...until she's got a deeply compelling reason.
For about the first half of the book, this was a solid five stars for me. Lots of tension, which is created in part by shifts back and forth between the present and Willa's past to illuminate her trauma and highlight it's lasting impacts on her. There's also great spine-tingling suspense, about what really happened to Willa's friends the night they were murdered, and what sort of monsters really live beneath her childhood bed and in her basement. Very creepy, very intense, totally a vibe.
I did get a bit put off once we got to the kidnapping stage of the book. The kidnappers motivation for intending to harm Willa just didn't hold water for me. Yes, it created opportunities for more tension and the risk of death, but it felt like flimsy justification for the kind of harm that was carried out and planned.
I liked the ending, as it felt kind of full circle, like what I was expecting from the story in the first place. For the great start, and the recovery of that finale, I'm going with a 3.5 star rating, rounded up.
I'll definitely be looking forward to reading more of Emily Zinnikas' work.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I am the Monster Under the Bed follows Willa, a successful painter who hides from the public eye due to dark past. One night, seven teenagers walked into the woods in her hometown and only one walked out. Everyone thinks she killed them. When she returns home to attend her art teacher’s funeral, the townsfolk are unhappy. And so is her house … thumps echo in the basement and the trees whistle hauntingly. She must sacrifice everything to make it out alive.
I was wildly impressed with this book! This was such an imaginative read that hooked me from the very first page. There’s definitely two veins of horror in this story: haunted house and what really happened in the woods years ago. I was so impressed with the ending and twist. I really did not see it coming. The author did an amazing job at keeping you guessing until the bitter end.
This was incredibly atmospheric and terrifying. Willa’s house was soooo creepy and terrifying. It was definitely a book where you question the sanity of the main character. The forest element was also SO good and haunting. I truly loved how layered this horror was. And each element was so fitting and well explained.
I adored the lore of the town and Willa’s backstory. Man, Willa’s backstory is ROUGH. It’s incredibly easy to empathize with her. Between her childhood with her parents and Graham, she had a horrible time. I loved how she overcame it and still went home and tried her best to deal with everything. And the ending was deliciously dark and monstrous. Willa’s trajectory was so satisfying.
I would highly recommend this if you love horror, especially haunted houses and creepy woods, or homecoming thrillers. Definitely pick this one up when it releases!
Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press for the arc <3
I was wildly impressed with this book! This was such an imaginative read that hooked me from the very first page. There’s definitely two veins of horror in this story: haunted house and what really happened in the woods years ago. I was so impressed with the ending and twist. I really did not see it coming. The author did an amazing job at keeping you guessing until the bitter end.
This was incredibly atmospheric and terrifying. Willa’s house was soooo creepy and terrifying. It was definitely a book where you question the sanity of the main character. The forest element was also SO good and haunting. I truly loved how layered this horror was. And each element was so fitting and well explained.
I adored the lore of the town and Willa’s backstory. Man, Willa’s backstory is ROUGH. It’s incredibly easy to empathize with her. Between her childhood with her parents and Graham, she had a horrible time. I loved how she overcame it and still went home and tried her best to deal with everything. And the ending was deliciously dark and monstrous. Willa’s trajectory was so satisfying.
I would highly recommend this if you love horror, especially haunted houses and creepy woods, or homecoming thrillers. Definitely pick this one up when it releases!
Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press for the arc <3
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I want to thank St. Martin's for sending me this eARC. I really wanted to like this but as a true crime and horror person it fell flat for me. There where issues and it felt like like 2 different stories where going on. One of my issues that kept me from almost not finishing the book was, Willa our MC is the only surviving teen from a massacre that happened 15 years ago. Pretty early in the story when the public learns of her fake identity her house is swarmed and the reporters don't seem to leave for what seems like weeks, Willa somehow gets back to her small town and is told the press doesn't know she is back there. In that time she has a lot of bad interactions with the locals who still blame her for what happened and she is able to spend a month or so there and not a single person in town called reporters? They hate her so much and apparently she is so well known as the sole survivor that has people camped out at her home but not a single person took a photo of her or told news people that she was back in town?? Small towns thrive on gossip and you're telling me not a single person leaked it if the case was apparently that big? There are a few other issues that come up with new information with the case that seemingly goes un answered and a few other issues that are more spoilers so I won't post. Honestly I could see this had ideas and I won't fault this as it the authors first book, I just read a lot of horror and true crime that I see a few more issues than maybe non horror reads would see so I think this could be a easy first book to kind of ease you into the genre
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I thought this was a great book, with a strongly executed unique premise. The story centers on Willa, who was the only survivor of a vicious murdering spree in the woods near her home when she was a teen. Now in her early 30s, she is a successful but reclusive artist who gets called back to her hometown to attend the funeral of a much-loved mentor. Once home, she experiences the creepy things that happened to her as a child as well as the judgement from those in the town.
Willa is a complex and relatable character- even when I didn't agree with her decisions, I understood where she was coming from. The story was scary at times, especially whatever was going on in the basement!! I thought the story brought a good mix of paranormal and human villains. The overall cast of characters was varied and interesting, from the reporter to the psychic to the predator to the best friend. There are some good twists throughout the story, and just a growing sense of unease as it continues. Though it starts as a bit of a slow burn, it becomes very action packed towards the end- I liked both. There were 2 surprising things that happened at the end of the book- one that I loved and the other that I "got" but didn't really love.
Overall, this was a really good story that I suspect will stick with me even after I move on to the next book. This is high praise, as I go through books quickly and they often leave my mind as soon as the next one starts. I am excited to read more from this author. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Willa is a complex and relatable character- even when I didn't agree with her decisions, I understood where she was coming from. The story was scary at times, especially whatever was going on in the basement!! I thought the story brought a good mix of paranormal and human villains. The overall cast of characters was varied and interesting, from the reporter to the psychic to the predator to the best friend. There are some good twists throughout the story, and just a growing sense of unease as it continues. Though it starts as a bit of a slow burn, it becomes very action packed towards the end- I liked both. There were 2 surprising things that happened at the end of the book- one that I loved and the other that I "got" but didn't really love.
Overall, this was a really good story that I suspect will stick with me even after I move on to the next book. This is high praise, as I go through books quickly and they often leave my mind as soon as the next one starts. I am excited to read more from this author. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I Am the Monster Under the Bed is the kind of book that grabs hold of you from the first chapter and refuses to let go. I ended up finishing it in a single sitting because I absolutely had to know what was waiting for Willa in the woods, in her childhood home, and beneath the layers of trauma she has spent years trying to bury.
Emily Zinnikas creates an unsettling atmosphere that seeps into every page. The combination of small-town secrets, psychological horror, supernatural dread, and mystery worked incredibly well for me. Willa is a fascinating protagonist—damaged, isolated, and deeply compelling. As her past and present collide, the story steadily builds a sense of unease that kept me completely invested.
The possessed forest, the lingering questions surrounding the Rapture Mystery Slayings, and the strange entity that lived under Willa's bed all came together to create a haunting and memorable reading experience. I especially loved how the novel explored the blurry line between monster and victim, and how reputation can become its own kind of curse.
There were a few spots near the end where I found myself wanting the story to wrap up a little faster, but that was a minor issue in an otherwise fantastic read. The pacing was strong overall, and the payoff was worth the journey.
Dark, eerie, emotional, and impossible to put down, I Am the Monster Under the Bed is a standout horror novel that I would highly recommend to readers who enjoy atmospheric horror, unsettling mysteries, and complex characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Emily Zinnikas creates an unsettling atmosphere that seeps into every page. The combination of small-town secrets, psychological horror, supernatural dread, and mystery worked incredibly well for me. Willa is a fascinating protagonist—damaged, isolated, and deeply compelling. As her past and present collide, the story steadily builds a sense of unease that kept me completely invested.
The possessed forest, the lingering questions surrounding the Rapture Mystery Slayings, and the strange entity that lived under Willa's bed all came together to create a haunting and memorable reading experience. I especially loved how the novel explored the blurry line between monster and victim, and how reputation can become its own kind of curse.
There were a few spots near the end where I found myself wanting the story to wrap up a little faster, but that was a minor issue in an otherwise fantastic read. The pacing was strong overall, and the payoff was worth the journey.
Dark, eerie, emotional, and impossible to put down, I Am the Monster Under the Bed is a standout horror novel that I would highly recommend to readers who enjoy atmospheric horror, unsettling mysteries, and complex characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I loved Willa from the very first page. She is damaged, isolated, and carrying more weight than any one person should, and yet she never felt like a victim. She felt real. Her grief, her anger, and her complicated relationship with a town that turned on her gave this book an emotional depth that genuinely surprised me.
The atmosphere is the real star here. Zinnikas builds dread slowly and deliberately, letting it seep into every corner of Rapture before anything truly horrifying happens. Elliot, the monster under the bed, is one of the most fascinating and unsettling presences I have encountered in recent horror fiction. The relationship between Willa and Elliot gave the book a strange tenderness underneath all the darkness that I was not expecting and absolutely loved.
The central theme of human monsters being far more terrifying than literal ones is handled with real care. The small town secrets, the way the community treated Willa, the Rapture slayings mystery unraveling piece by piece. All of it kept me completely absorbed.
What held this back for me were a few execution issues. The timeline jumps between past and present occasionally broke the tension rather than building it. The pacing dipped noticeably in the middle section. Some of the supernatural elements I was most intrigued by never got the exploration they deserved. And the villain reveal, after so much careful buildup, landed with less impact than I hoped.
Still a standout debut with a voice I will absolutely be following.
Pub Day: Sept 15, 2026
Categories: General Fiction (Adult), Horror, Mystery & Thrillers
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC.
The atmosphere is the real star here. Zinnikas builds dread slowly and deliberately, letting it seep into every corner of Rapture before anything truly horrifying happens. Elliot, the monster under the bed, is one of the most fascinating and unsettling presences I have encountered in recent horror fiction. The relationship between Willa and Elliot gave the book a strange tenderness underneath all the darkness that I was not expecting and absolutely loved.
The central theme of human monsters being far more terrifying than literal ones is handled with real care. The small town secrets, the way the community treated Willa, the Rapture slayings mystery unraveling piece by piece. All of it kept me completely absorbed.
What held this back for me were a few execution issues. The timeline jumps between past and present occasionally broke the tension rather than building it. The pacing dipped noticeably in the middle section. Some of the supernatural elements I was most intrigued by never got the exploration they deserved. And the villain reveal, after so much careful buildup, landed with less impact than I hoped.
Still a standout debut with a voice I will absolutely be following.
Pub Day: Sept 15, 2026
Categories: General Fiction (Adult), Horror, Mystery & Thrillers
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book was an absolute delight to read, it completely pulled me out of a massive reading slump and had me hooked from the very first page. The atmosphere is wonderfully creepy, with such vivid descriptions that it feels like you’re right there alongside the main character, experiencing every unsettling moment.
The story follows Willa, a reclusive painter with a deeply disturbing past, who returns to her hometown after her identity as the lone survivor of a brutal, unsolved massacre is exposed. What unfolds is a chilling blend of psychological tension and supernatural horror, as old memories resurface and something far darker begins to close in.
I especially loved the characters, Willa is complex, intense, and hard to look away from, and her relationships add real emotional weight to the story. Joyce was also a favourite, as I loved her spunky attitude. The eerie elements are handled so well, balancing mystery and dread without ever feeling overdone.
That said, there were a few moments where I found myself wanting a bit more clarity, particularly around some of the underlying motives from the characters.
The ending was incredibly satisfying and tied everything together perfectly. I ended up reading this in one sitting, I genuinely couldn’t put it down.
Overall, this was a fantastic read from a debut author, and I look forward to reading Emily Zinnikas’ future books.
This book was an absolute delight to read, it completely pulled me out of a massive reading slump and had me hooked from the very first page. The atmosphere is wonderfully creepy, with such vivid descriptions that it feels like you’re right there alongside the main character, experiencing every unsettling moment.
The story follows Willa, a reclusive painter with a deeply disturbing past, who returns to her hometown after her identity as the lone survivor of a brutal, unsolved massacre is exposed. What unfolds is a chilling blend of psychological tension and supernatural horror, as old memories resurface and something far darker begins to close in.
I especially loved the characters, Willa is complex, intense, and hard to look away from, and her relationships add real emotional weight to the story. Joyce was also a favourite, as I loved her spunky attitude. The eerie elements are handled so well, balancing mystery and dread without ever feeling overdone.
That said, there were a few moments where I found myself wanting a bit more clarity, particularly around some of the underlying motives from the characters.
The ending was incredibly satisfying and tied everything together perfectly. I ended up reading this in one sitting, I genuinely couldn’t put it down.
Overall, this was a fantastic read from a debut author, and I look forward to reading Emily Zinnikas’ future books.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley
Under the name W. Sloane, painter Willa Greene has earned recognition. She agrees to an interview, believing it is for an art magazine. But it is all a trick and the interviewer secretly tapes their discussion which, instead of her art, focuses on her youth in Rapture, Maine where six teens went into the woods some fifteen years earlier and only one . . . Willa . . . came out alive. Known as the Rapture Mystery Slayings, murders have never been solved. The surreptitiously-filmed interview is aired on a television show, “Eye of Lennox;” host Nathaniel Lennox is obsessed with the Rapture slayings.
When her beloved art teacher, Millie Sloane, passes away, Willa decides to return to Rapture and face the past. Will she be able to convince the townspeople that she is not guilty of the murders? Can she find the answers everyone needs?
=========
An undercurrent of dread fills the telling of this tale, keeping readers on edge. The story is mysterious, dark, and filled with unexpected twists. The story, part thriller, part horror, keeps readers guessing. Strong, believable characters keep the story anchored and the fast pace helps build tension.
Readers who enjoy horror, unsettling tales, and difficult-to-set-aside stories are sure to find this book unputdownable.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving this review.
#IAmtheMonsterUndertheBed #NetGalley
Under the name W. Sloane, painter Willa Greene has earned recognition. She agrees to an interview, believing it is for an art magazine. But it is all a trick and the interviewer secretly tapes their discussion which, instead of her art, focuses on her youth in Rapture, Maine where six teens went into the woods some fifteen years earlier and only one . . . Willa . . . came out alive. Known as the Rapture Mystery Slayings, murders have never been solved. The surreptitiously-filmed interview is aired on a television show, “Eye of Lennox;” host Nathaniel Lennox is obsessed with the Rapture slayings.
When her beloved art teacher, Millie Sloane, passes away, Willa decides to return to Rapture and face the past. Will she be able to convince the townspeople that she is not guilty of the murders? Can she find the answers everyone needs?
=========
An undercurrent of dread fills the telling of this tale, keeping readers on edge. The story is mysterious, dark, and filled with unexpected twists. The story, part thriller, part horror, keeps readers guessing. Strong, believable characters keep the story anchored and the fast pace helps build tension.
Readers who enjoy horror, unsettling tales, and difficult-to-set-aside stories are sure to find this book unputdownable.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving this review.
#IAmtheMonsterUndertheBed #NetGalley
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