I Am the Monster Under the Bed

by Emily Zinnikas

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 reporter exposes her identity as the controversial survivor of the unsolved Rapture Mystery Slayings, a small-town tragedy that splashed across headlines her senior year of high school. Six teenagers died in the woods while Willa walked free, and everyone thinks she did it.

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 the villain her hometown has always believed her to be.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Paranormal

Kindle Edition

Expected publication September 15, 2026

Reviews

[RavenCantRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[Mikey ಠ◡ಠ · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Alora Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

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. 🖤

[Nicole Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[AMY DURAN · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Hayley · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[Linda Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Darrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Ciara Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

📝 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.

[Nicole Halka · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Cec · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Rowan Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the debut novel from Emily Zinnikas and if this book is any indication, I am really looking forward to reading more horror written by her in the future. The title alone was enough to give my husband the creeps. To be fair, my first 10 years were spent sharing a bunkbed and trundle with my sister and brother and being the oldest, I usually had the top bunk, so I wasn’t really worried about monsters under the bed. Later, though, when I had my own room, I was afraid to let my arm hang over the side of the bed, just in case there were monsters under there—still can’t do it ’til this day.

But what a great premise—a child becoming friends with the monster under the bed! And what about all the creepy things in the basement? Or the terrifying thing in the woods (because thanks to Stephen King, the Maine woods are always scary)? Or the teacher that abused her when she was 16? And what really happened in the barn that night when six of her friends were horribly slain?

It’s 15 years later and the anniversary of those horrible murders is fast approaching and suddenly the world Willa has created for herself—successful painter living alone in Pennsylvania—falls apart and she is harassed by reporters and a flamboyant not-so-nice psychic all while trying to deal with the death of the beloved art teacher who encouraged her to share her talent.

So good! So real! And I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. And the ending! Bwahaha—loved it!

[Jensen McCorkel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 3.5

There’s something quietly disturbing about I Am the Monster Under the Bed, from the very first page. It’s not loud, not violent, but wrong in a way you can’t quite name. That unease lingers, growing heavier as the story unfolds. The core concept is genuinely unsettling. A monster under the bed that helps a child instead of harming her is a strong, eerie twist on a universal childhood fear.

Zinnikas gives us a horror with so much psychological depth there really is no need for cheap scares. Instead we have an unreliable narrator with an unreliable memory, small town with a possible supernatural forest, and trauma with an all consuming guilt. This creates a heavy, suffocating mood that is perfect for blending psychological and supernatural horror.

This one had such a strong, creepy premise that I really wanted to love it. While I did enjoy it, there aren’t a lot of clear answers when it comes to the “monster,” which at times I found frustrating instead of haunting. I really wanted more about the monster.

Overall, I Am the Monster Under the Bed felt less like a typical horror novel and more like a story about trauma, memory, and identity, with horror woven through it rather than driving it. It was more atmospheric and psychological than outright scary. The kind of horror that sits with you rather than shocks you but it does require patience from the reader.

[Connie Forsyth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this debut novel by Emily Zinnikas. Blending thriller and horror elements, the story constantly keeps you guessing about what will happen next. Zinnikas does an excellent job establishing the characters and making them feel relatable and believable.

The story follows Willa, a thirty-two-year-old successful painter who works under the pseudonym W. Sloan to avoid media attention and recognition. Her desire for anonymity runs deeper than fame, however—she has stayed away from her hometown since her teenage years, after a tragic night in which six of her friends died while partying in a barn, leaving her the sole survivor. When her beloved former teacher, Mrs. Sloan, passes away, Willa is forced to return home to honor her memory and confront a past she has spent years trying to escape.

Overall, this was a great, fast-paced read that never slows down, even when you’re left wondering what just happened. Is Elliott—the monster under Willa’s bed—real, or a product of her imagination? Is there truly something lurking in the woods, or is Willa unraveling? Who is stalking her, and what exactly is hidden in the basement that terrifies her so deeply? The tension builds steadily, and the questions keep piling up in the best possible way.

This book was gripping and unsettling, and my best advice is simple: give it a try.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Emily W · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I’d like to thank the author, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me early access to this book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I would 100% recommend it. I was a little worried at points because paranormal thriller/horror stories are not usually my wheelhouse but I feel like the author did a really good job of mixing those parts with the more reality based horror elements of the story.

I also feel like Willa was a really well-written horror heroine. In a lot of stories like this, the main character will do a lot of dumb things to the point that it feels unrealistic or that they're just too stupid to live, but in this story I feel like the mistakes and missteps that are made feel like they make sense in the context of the story.

And as much as I hated it from a societal perspective, the subplot with Graham was incredibly well done. It was infuriating but that was because it was so accurate to real life.

My one specific complaint is a bit nitpicky but I still feel like it's valid. The final chapter would function better as an epilogue rather than just a "standard" chapter. There is obviously a time jump between the prior chapter and that one, which is fine, but without it being labeled as an epilogue it feels like there are parts of the story missing rather than it being an intentional time lapse.

[Macy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this is a spooky, insane, rage fueled FMC, horror.
The beginning sucked you in so hard that I felt like I couldn't catch my breathe until 25% in. Fast paced and properly scary in some parts, you had to keep turning the page.
A woman who's burdened by a mysterious slaying that happened in her small town where she's the sole survivor. My thoughts on Willa bounce between, this lady is completely insane, and well she has a point. I loved every second of the first half of the book until about 60% of the way in, things felt a little tangled and long winded. We went from 15 minute chapters to 30 minutes and this definitely had a dragging anchor effect on my want to keep reading. Things got a bit chaotic and confusing, and although things became apparent at the end, there were a little bit of loose ends I wish we got more on. The horrors described though will properly give you a scare if the shadows in the corner of your bedroom at 3am look like humans to you. I definitely think this would be amazing as a film or series adaptation. For a debut horror, I cannot wait to see what else this author has up their sleeve.
For lovers of You, Late Night With the Devil, and Yellowjackets, this book is for you.

Thank you to St Martins Press and Netgalley for letting me read this one early!

[Erin Homan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐ rounded up for Goodreads

Better than average, but there was a lot going on in this folk horror/thriller/ghost story/mystery.

Pros:
• the action is consistent and keeps you engaged
• despite being impulsive, I liked Willa. She's a survivor
• the insular small town nonsense was accurate and functioned well as its own antagonistic character
• I didn't hate the ending. It was sufficiently satisfying

Cons:
• unnecessary "hot cop"? Idk he just didn't add much to the story imo. Kinda flat. I mean, I just don't like cop romance, so that was never gonna work for me.
• I still don't really know who the ghosts in the basement were? Manifestations of the forest? Actual ghosts? Who knows
• Didn't like one character's death. He deserved to grow imo
• the custody situation made no sense in a real world sort of way. I'm not saying it wasn't a good thing, necessarily, but no court/judge would ever agree to that unless maybe it was in a will. And there were no living relatives to contest it. Forest ghosts? Sure. Unlikely custody agreements, a bridge too far for me 🤣

I like a twisty turny mystery, and I love speculative fiction and sentient forests, so this was a win. I'd definitely recommend this to specific friends. Keep an eye out for the release in September 2026!

[Amber Boos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a dark and twisty head-trip of a book. I went into it thinking it was just your normal "kid hears a monster under the bed at night and voices in the woods and no one believes her until something happens" sort of book. Well, sort of but not really. This story is more horror than psychological thriller, in my opinion. I do not normally read or enjoy horror, but I did both with this one. It's like a train wreck. Gotta slow down and look. Yes, that was a compliment. As a child, Willa has a monster buddy who lives under the bed. No one believes her. As a teen, Willa goes into the woods with friends and everyone but her is viciously murdered. Of course, the whole town has theories, none that help poor Willa and she leaves, never to return. Until someone close to her dies. Upon her return, all of the strange occurrences begin again. You will be quite properly creeped out throughout this entire book. And for the record, thankfully I do not currently have a basement, nor will I EVER have a basement now. Make of that what you will.

Thank you to Emily Zinnikas, #NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Secretive artist Willa had a weird childhood. Now, she shows her art under a pseudonym and keeps a private, quiet life far away from her small home town. Why? Well, because when she was a teenager, a party in the woods went very wrong and all her friends were killed. The town blames her, but there is no evidence that she did it other than her being in proximity and surviving. When her favorite teacher from back then dies, she feels duty bound to go to the funeral,; but something from her childhood is still there, waiting.

I didn't hate this, but it was kind of all over the place. A lot going on. Some things didn't come together enough to make full sense. I thought it was still a fun read, but could have used another editing pass.

I was sent this book by the publisher in exchange for review

[Reading Xennial · Rating 3 out of 5]

Willa is the sole survivor of an event and the town thinks she’s the guilty one since she came out unscathed. Willa has moved from the town, but is drawn back to attend the funeral of a beloved teacher. While she’s back in her childhood town, the darkness that plagued her back then has been there waiting.

This was less horror than I was expecting, but it is still creepy and unsettling. It gets a lot into trauma. It’s thrilling, but at the same time doesn’t do cheap jump scares. There were a lot of unanswered questions and I’m not sure if that was on purpose to leave some mystery or an oversight. I had a great time reading this. The creepy vibes were off the charts. I do recommend this book if you’re interested in the premise.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

plot ⭐️5/5⭐️
tropes ✔️are monsters real, small town murders, creepy forest, tortured artist✔️

🛏️ Six teenagers went into the woods, only one walked out. Fifteen years after the “Rapture Mystery Slayings”, the only girl who walked out of the forest returns back to the small town. She tried to live under a pen name to publish her paintings, but her secret got out. Now she has to return home to put a stop to this once and for all, but she may need help from the monster who lives under her childhood bed.

i def read this book in under 24 hours, i COULD NOT put it down. i was questioning the whole time what was real and what wasn’t, working up a sweat haha! the ending too??? love willa and elliot very very much

thank you to st martin’s press and the author for providing me this arc, all opinions are my own!

✨bookstagram @whatsvictoriareading

[Unnamednonsense · Rating 4 out of 5]

The vibes of this book were spooky. I felt on the edge of my seat the whole time, trying to decide what was real, what was a figment of imagination, and how much of what the narrator said was even true. She felt like a classic unreliable narrator, and I still don’t know how much was real or ghost-like in the story.

I got lost at some points with some of the characters. Some of them felt like filler, just there in the absence of someone else. Some of them were also incredibly well thought out.

The pacing was well done for the most part, until near the end, when it started to drag a little.

Overall, this was a very exciting read that I completely flew through. I had a great time with it.

Thank you very much to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[woodrecommend reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know that stomach dropping moment when a jacket hanging on the door or on a chair looks like the silhouette of a person in the middle of the night? Yeah, if you’re looking for that kind of scare, this book is for you. This spooky, what creature is in my house, rage fueled FMC, murder mystery horror will suck you in. I could not put it down because I could not figure out what was going on.
Our FMC Willa, was she crazy, or was there really something under her bed? Like I said, I could not figure it out. It wasn’t until the end where things started coming to light and wrapping up. It did drag a little bit in the end because it went to double the length of the chapters, but, it wasn’t unbearable.
There were some loose ends that I wish we got answers to, but overall, I thoroughly entertained. I would love to see it on the big screen.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

This pulled me in pretty quickly but it started to lose steam for me quickly.

The idea was interesting but the execution less so. I was intrigued by the thing under her bed, Elliott, in childhood, the shadow people in the basement and possible entity in the forest.

The mysterious murder of Willa's friends and her trauma are the main focus. The supernatural elements end up feeling like random plot points thrown in there to keep this from just being a thriller. The main antagonist ends up being an unhinged surprise which added to the tension and sort of helped tie back into the supernatural but not enough to really make those elements seem imperative to the story. This should have either leaned more into the supernatural or left the supernatural out.

Thank you to NetGalley for a review copy.

[Winni · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

This book brought out many emotions within me and the most prominent ones were shock and fear.

Willa is a protagonist you can’t help but root for even when you dislike her at times for being so stubborn. However, it is well earned stubbornness when you get to her past and the uncomfortable nature of her isolation within her hometown.

From the start to the finish I wouldn’t have been able to tell you exactly what happened on that fateful night but when I finally got my answer it truly shocked me.

This is a book that shows you that even with things of an uncanny nature lurking about, the greatest threat to humanity is usually humanity itself.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope to see more from this author.

[Megan Magee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75/5 rounded up

Willa is a survivor- she is the only one left standing from an infamous tragedy that occured when she was a senior in high school. While six teenagers are slain, Willa walks free, and whispers follow her forevermore in which her own townspeople claim she is responsible. When she is 32, her pseudonym gets unearthed, and her career is put on hold when she travels back home to attend the teacher's funeral who meant everything to her as an artist. The town, characters, and plot were so engaging, but it felt like there were two different books ongoing. The ending felt thrown together in a way I couldn't get behind, but I truly did love the journey getting there. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.