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Hostile Architecture
He may be homeless but Ben is making the best of things. He has a tent, he has access to food, and even has a couple friends.
However, when a mysterious stranger appears, offering food and safety to him and his friend Connor, his instincts tell him not to trust it, instincts that are proven right when Connor is nowhere to be found the next day.
Someone or something has been culling the vagrant population and nobody seems to notice or care, so when he sees the stranger again, Ben will have to follow him to the source, even if his pursuit of truth brings him all the way down to a Hell he may never escape.
Because The Worm Mother has been waiting for a very long time, and has no intention of letting him go.
However, when a mysterious stranger appears, offering food and safety to him and his friend Connor, his instincts tell him not to trust it, instincts that are proven right when Connor is nowhere to be found the next day.
Someone or something has been culling the vagrant population and nobody seems to notice or care, so when he sees the stranger again, Ben will have to follow him to the source, even if his pursuit of truth brings him all the way down to a Hell he may never escape.
Because The Worm Mother has been waiting for a very long time, and has no intention of letting him go.
- GenresHorror
110 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 1, 2026
6 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
March 19, 2026
This is my third standalone by Murnane and it’s very evident he’s in the auto read category for me. His stuff is weird as fuck but also incredibly authentic with the emotions he renders. Hostile Architecture hits similarly to It Eats Your Hunger with this cosmic smorgasbord of psychedelic, grief and existential horror. The book is a fever dream completely surrounded by nightmares and definitely crosses into some strange territory. HA is the story of Ben Castle, an unhoused alcoholic man in his seventies. His days are an ouroboros of collecting recyclables, busking and then using any profits to drink himself unconscious. When he realizes members of his unhoused community are disappearing he injects himself into a perpetual descent into a chaotic hell. He ends up reliving past trauma as he tries to navigate this fluid place.
I identified with more parts of this story than I care to admit. Not necessarily of my own characteristics, but also many experiences I’ve had which have greatly influenced my own cosmology. Ben is an intensely flawed character but it’s difficult not to empathize with him especially given the familiarity I felt with the book. I really vibe with Murnane’s work and definitely recommend if acid trips disguised as books are your kind of thing. The prose is excellent and there’s imagery for days. Loved the weirdness and which direction this one headed. Reading the afterword was incredibly surreal given the mentions of The Vietnam War (cOnFlIcT 🥴) and what happens just a couple weeks later with current events in Iran. Super scary.
I identified with more parts of this story than I care to admit. Not necessarily of my own characteristics, but also many experiences I’ve had which have greatly influenced my own cosmology. Ben is an intensely flawed character but it’s difficult not to empathize with him especially given the familiarity I felt with the book. I really vibe with Murnane’s work and definitely recommend if acid trips disguised as books are your kind of thing. The prose is excellent and there’s imagery for days. Loved the weirdness and which direction this one headed. Reading the afterword was incredibly surreal given the mentions of The Vietnam War (cOnFlIcT 🥴) and what happens just a couple weeks later with current events in Iran. Super scary.
April 7, 2026
All things turn beneath the worm in the sky.
I didn't think I was going to like this, but I was mistaken. The story focuses on Ben, an elderly unhoused man, and splits between his past and his present. That contrast does a lot of the heavy lifting. Seeing how he got to where he is makes the present day thread hit so much harder. That part felt grounded in a way that doesn’t need much embellishment, and added some real emotional depth.
As the current timeline pushes forward, the story opens up into something stranger and more cosmic. Those elements are interesting, and they gave me flashes of Hailey Piper's The Worm and His Kings with the initial premise and the underlying weirdness. While I am certainly a weird/cosmic horror fan, I found myself more invested in Ben himself than in whatever larger force is at work, even if those moments were pretty cool in their own right.
It’s a short piece, but the dual narrative gives it more weight than you’d expect, and Ben’s story carries it through. I'm split on the ending though...not sure if I like it, but it did get me thinking.... I'd probably do what Ben did.
I didn't think I was going to like this, but I was mistaken. The story focuses on Ben, an elderly unhoused man, and splits between his past and his present. That contrast does a lot of the heavy lifting. Seeing how he got to where he is makes the present day thread hit so much harder. That part felt grounded in a way that doesn’t need much embellishment, and added some real emotional depth.
As the current timeline pushes forward, the story opens up into something stranger and more cosmic. Those elements are interesting, and they gave me flashes of Hailey Piper's The Worm and His Kings with the initial premise and the underlying weirdness. While I am certainly a weird/cosmic horror fan, I found myself more invested in Ben himself than in whatever larger force is at work, even if those moments were pretty cool in their own right.
It’s a short piece, but the dual narrative gives it more weight than you’d expect, and Ben’s story carries it through. I'm split on the ending though...not sure if I like it, but it did get me thinking.... I'd probably do what Ben did.
March 31, 2026
Review of advance copy received from author.
What starts as a simple mystery slowly turns strange and dreamlike, with intense scenes that reflect Ben’s mental and emotional turmoil. Pretty quickly, we are introduced to some unease as we meet Ben, and his homeless friend, a soon—a stranger out MC doesn’t trust.
This story explores the cost of chasing success at all costs… and simultaneously questions the idea of the American Dream, avoiding clear “right” or “wrong” answers and instead showing how choices and consequences can play out far worse than we’d ever imagined.
It’s almost too easy to relate to this story often, and that only builds the unease. A lot of the things our MC experiences could happen to anyone…
Overall, it’s a dark, thoughtful, unsettling horror story that mixes brutality with much deeper themes, leaving you with questions about choices you’ve made in life, and wondering whether anyone can truly find peace. It leaves you feeling oddly hopeful, yet creeped out. By the end, you’re suddenly all too aware that anything we do could change our lives forever—for better or worse.
What starts as a simple mystery slowly turns strange and dreamlike, with intense scenes that reflect Ben’s mental and emotional turmoil. Pretty quickly, we are introduced to some unease as we meet Ben, and his homeless friend, a soon—a stranger out MC doesn’t trust.
This story explores the cost of chasing success at all costs… and simultaneously questions the idea of the American Dream, avoiding clear “right” or “wrong” answers and instead showing how choices and consequences can play out far worse than we’d ever imagined.
It’s almost too easy to relate to this story often, and that only builds the unease. A lot of the things our MC experiences could happen to anyone…
Overall, it’s a dark, thoughtful, unsettling horror story that mixes brutality with much deeper themes, leaving you with questions about choices you’ve made in life, and wondering whether anyone can truly find peace. It leaves you feeling oddly hopeful, yet creeped out. By the end, you’re suddenly all too aware that anything we do could change our lives forever—for better or worse.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A thought-provoking, and sporadically heartbreaking, psychological thriller/horror tale that forces the reader to take a long, hard look at the supposed American Dream and ask if it’s worth it. And, if so, how far are we all willing to go to achieve it?
Our “hero” is homeless alcoholic, and one time respected reporter, Dr. Ben Castle. He’s been up against it for a while, but he’s doing okay, all things considered. Until his fellow homeless people begin disappearing, and Dr. Castle realizes something sinister is going down, and he’s just about the only person who can figure it out. Mostly because he’s the only one interested.
What starts off as a pretty straightforward mystery-thriller-horror tale very suddenly banks a hard left and takes us deep into some psychological trippyness that quickly gets a chokehold on the narrative, and the reader, and never lets go. It’s a white-knuckle ride, one wild set-piece or splash of gore, that pulls us inexorably into the depths of Ben’s broken and ruined life, while also bringing Ben and the reader face to face with the question of what the American Dream is. What does it entail, encompass, cost? And is any of it truly worth it if it means the bastardization and damnation of the self? Of countless, faceless others?
It’s a heavy novella, with a ton of heavy themes and a lotta haunted characters and scenarios. It is thought-provoking, and I liked that it doesn’t really take a hardline stance on right and wrong, good and evil, when it comes to Ben and his choices. Murnane included a “Why I Wrote This” afterword in which he explains some of his thoughts and beliefs about the characters and their choices, and I found it enlightening without overshadowing or altering how I had perceived or interpreted the book and the characters.
There is some grief in here, some deeply scarring situations that motivate Ben and alter his life, but I found this book to be more of a psychological thriller/trippy horror ride than a grief horror, for whatever that’s worth. There are quite a few back-and-forth segments between the THEN and NOW, so after a little bit, it became pretty clear where that situation was headed, and I became far more eager to stay in the present, purgatory-esque nightmare Ben was in. There are a lot of really cool scenes in that hellscape Ben finds himself in, like a painting of a ship come to life or a gang of “Legal Eagles” killing and eating people in the streets, so I was a lot more invested in Ben and his pursuit/being chased by Goddard than I was the drawn out reasons for him being there.
There comes a point by the end of the novella, it’s chapter 14 or 15, I’m not sure exactly which one, but I found the ending of that chapter to be the chef’s kiss on the tale. But the story kept going, and while I understand why it did, I almost found those last few pages more detrimental than beneficial to the overall point Murnane is trying to make. It doesn’t feel rushed exactly, though we get a lot of rapid-fire vignette scenes that do seem far more hurried than what has come before it, but instead the final bit seems to undermine the KO punch of the overarching question stated by the novella itself and by Murnane’s afterword. Because it isn’t A choice, it is dozens upon dozens of choices, over and over and over again, doing the “right” thing in an endless loop until the “selfish” choice is made. After a while, I am sure everyone would shake it up. But I understand and empathize with Murnane’s point that there is no right and wrong, and that none of us know exactly what we would do in this exaggerated hypothetical of moral virtue. All that’s true is that, no matter what, good or bad, right or wrong, left or right, hard and painful choices will affect all of our lives, and at the end of the day, can any of us truly live peacefully with our choices?
A solid read that certainly left an impact. Kept me thinking for quite a while after I finished it, and I managed to knock it out in a single day on smoke breaks, which speaks to the story's compelling writing and propulsive plot, despite some narrative diffusion with the flashbacks. The ending, despite being rushed, was a great final twist, even if the brutality and melancholia of it were a little undercut by the last bit leading up to it. Overall, this is a very solid read and one of the better trippy headfuck horror books I’ve read in a long time. It’s sad, it’s insightful, it’s brutal, it’s relatable, and it’s well written. Recommended, both for fans of Murnane’s previous works and for new readers looking for some introspective and soul-searching scares.
4 outta 5 living paintings from me.
Our “hero” is homeless alcoholic, and one time respected reporter, Dr. Ben Castle. He’s been up against it for a while, but he’s doing okay, all things considered. Until his fellow homeless people begin disappearing, and Dr. Castle realizes something sinister is going down, and he’s just about the only person who can figure it out. Mostly because he’s the only one interested.
What starts off as a pretty straightforward mystery-thriller-horror tale very suddenly banks a hard left and takes us deep into some psychological trippyness that quickly gets a chokehold on the narrative, and the reader, and never lets go. It’s a white-knuckle ride, one wild set-piece or splash of gore, that pulls us inexorably into the depths of Ben’s broken and ruined life, while also bringing Ben and the reader face to face with the question of what the American Dream is. What does it entail, encompass, cost? And is any of it truly worth it if it means the bastardization and damnation of the self? Of countless, faceless others?
It’s a heavy novella, with a ton of heavy themes and a lotta haunted characters and scenarios. It is thought-provoking, and I liked that it doesn’t really take a hardline stance on right and wrong, good and evil, when it comes to Ben and his choices. Murnane included a “Why I Wrote This” afterword in which he explains some of his thoughts and beliefs about the characters and their choices, and I found it enlightening without overshadowing or altering how I had perceived or interpreted the book and the characters.
There is some grief in here, some deeply scarring situations that motivate Ben and alter his life, but I found this book to be more of a psychological thriller/trippy horror ride than a grief horror, for whatever that’s worth. There are quite a few back-and-forth segments between the THEN and NOW, so after a little bit, it became pretty clear where that situation was headed, and I became far more eager to stay in the present, purgatory-esque nightmare Ben was in. There are a lot of really cool scenes in that hellscape Ben finds himself in, like a painting of a ship come to life or a gang of “Legal Eagles” killing and eating people in the streets, so I was a lot more invested in Ben and his pursuit/being chased by Goddard than I was the drawn out reasons for him being there.
There comes a point by the end of the novella, it’s chapter 14 or 15, I’m not sure exactly which one, but I found the ending of that chapter to be the chef’s kiss on the tale. But the story kept going, and while I understand why it did, I almost found those last few pages more detrimental than beneficial to the overall point Murnane is trying to make. It doesn’t feel rushed exactly, though we get a lot of rapid-fire vignette scenes that do seem far more hurried than what has come before it, but instead the final bit seems to undermine the KO punch of the overarching question stated by the novella itself and by Murnane’s afterword. Because it isn’t A choice, it is dozens upon dozens of choices, over and over and over again, doing the “right” thing in an endless loop until the “selfish” choice is made. After a while, I am sure everyone would shake it up. But I understand and empathize with Murnane’s point that there is no right and wrong, and that none of us know exactly what we would do in this exaggerated hypothetical of moral virtue. All that’s true is that, no matter what, good or bad, right or wrong, left or right, hard and painful choices will affect all of our lives, and at the end of the day, can any of us truly live peacefully with our choices?
A solid read that certainly left an impact. Kept me thinking for quite a while after I finished it, and I managed to knock it out in a single day on smoke breaks, which speaks to the story's compelling writing and propulsive plot, despite some narrative diffusion with the flashbacks. The ending, despite being rushed, was a great final twist, even if the brutality and melancholia of it were a little undercut by the last bit leading up to it. Overall, this is a very solid read and one of the better trippy headfuck horror books I’ve read in a long time. It’s sad, it’s insightful, it’s brutal, it’s relatable, and it’s well written. Recommended, both for fans of Murnane’s previous works and for new readers looking for some introspective and soul-searching scares.
4 outta 5 living paintings from me.
April 3, 2026
Hostile Architecture by the insanely talented Joseph Murname is a cosmic/supernatural horror novella that should most definitely be topping the best-selling charts. Why? Let me give you the rundown.
The story follows Ben Castle, an elderly homeless man and once-in-demand reporter, who has found solace at the bottom of a bottle after some devastating life events. He survives day-to-day by collecting bottles for recycling and busking with his grandfather’s fiddle, just to scrape together enough money for his daily fix of drowning himself in drink in order to keep his pain at bay. When we meet him, Ben is spending time with Connor, a young man in his twenties that he has befriended, when a mysterious stranger approaches, promising them a life without want for anything. Ben knows better than to accept, but Connor doesn’t, and he leaves with the stranger and doesn’t return.
Soon, more members of the homeless community begin to vanish, and Ben embarks on a quest to track down the stranger — a supernatural entity in disguise — to try to put a stop to whatever it is he is doing. This decision will lead him along a path where he's forced to relive the agonizing memories of his past, all while the entity preying on the community systematically breaks down his spirit.
The premise seems like the typical setup of your average horror book, right? Wrong. At its core, this is a beautifully written story about the struggle of choosing between doing the right thing with potentially nothing to gain versus being consumed and giving in to a world shaped by corruption and power. It’s a struggle that we all face: Do we stand up in the face of adversity? Do we stay true to our hearts and give with all we have to others? Or do we surrender to the machine and take the easy path? A path that keeps us perhaps feeling hollow but safe as we work for those who think only for themselves and their own selfish needs. There is no easy right or wrong in either scenario.
Ben embodies this struggle to a T. His past as a reporter had him chasing down corruption and exposing it, but ultimately, it came at a huge personal cost — a cost he ended up being unable to bear. Still, when things hit the fan, he is determined to do the right thing.
Though the page count is modest, this novella is a thought-provoking read which is jam-packed with heavy themes, emotional weight and thoughtfully crafted characters. The ending lands exactly where it needs to, punctuating the story’s moral core in a powerful way that lingers for hours afterwards.
Hostile Architecture is an incredible novella that is easily one of my top reads of the year so far, and it’s going to take something extraordinary to knock it from that pedestal.
The story follows Ben Castle, an elderly homeless man and once-in-demand reporter, who has found solace at the bottom of a bottle after some devastating life events. He survives day-to-day by collecting bottles for recycling and busking with his grandfather’s fiddle, just to scrape together enough money for his daily fix of drowning himself in drink in order to keep his pain at bay. When we meet him, Ben is spending time with Connor, a young man in his twenties that he has befriended, when a mysterious stranger approaches, promising them a life without want for anything. Ben knows better than to accept, but Connor doesn’t, and he leaves with the stranger and doesn’t return.
Soon, more members of the homeless community begin to vanish, and Ben embarks on a quest to track down the stranger — a supernatural entity in disguise — to try to put a stop to whatever it is he is doing. This decision will lead him along a path where he's forced to relive the agonizing memories of his past, all while the entity preying on the community systematically breaks down his spirit.
The premise seems like the typical setup of your average horror book, right? Wrong. At its core, this is a beautifully written story about the struggle of choosing between doing the right thing with potentially nothing to gain versus being consumed and giving in to a world shaped by corruption and power. It’s a struggle that we all face: Do we stand up in the face of adversity? Do we stay true to our hearts and give with all we have to others? Or do we surrender to the machine and take the easy path? A path that keeps us perhaps feeling hollow but safe as we work for those who think only for themselves and their own selfish needs. There is no easy right or wrong in either scenario.
Ben embodies this struggle to a T. His past as a reporter had him chasing down corruption and exposing it, but ultimately, it came at a huge personal cost — a cost he ended up being unable to bear. Still, when things hit the fan, he is determined to do the right thing.
Though the page count is modest, this novella is a thought-provoking read which is jam-packed with heavy themes, emotional weight and thoughtfully crafted characters. The ending lands exactly where it needs to, punctuating the story’s moral core in a powerful way that lingers for hours afterwards.
Hostile Architecture is an incredible novella that is easily one of my top reads of the year so far, and it’s going to take something extraordinary to knock it from that pedestal.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is a broody, dark, and angry supernatural horror novella that gets downright personal and asks what's left of the American Dream - a timely work that sheds light, without any stereotypical or moralizing political commentary, on the way today's Americans stand at a crossroads and need to choose sides: the kindness of a good deed that may lead nowhere, or the calculated evil of power-hungry corruption.
This is not at all a morality tale, however: in fact, even the author himself confesses in the afterword ("Why I Wrote This Book ") that despite his own clear 'theoretical' position on the matter, he doesn't know how he'd act if confronted with the dilemma in his story. I myself felt divided on the issue, which I take as the mark of good writing: if you can see the moral from a mile away, it's not fiction, it's just sermonizing.
In the story, a supernatural entity is feeding on the homeless (hope I can say that without trouble). The main character, a seventy-year-old man living in the streets and a former journalist who once hoped to bring to light the corruption in American politics, takes it upon himself to discover what's behind his friends and acquaintances disappearing. He's a man, however, with a deeply traumatic past, and although he's described with uncanny precision to detail and plenty of empathy, his flaws make him a person perhaps a bit too real to easily relate to.
His journey carries a lot of pain. There was never a lull spot or dragging in his story, which is told in dual timelines, though not at all confusingly or rushed. The author gave me everything I needed to make sense of this quintessential American character: I was getting everything from his side only, sure, but in a way that never spoiled things and kept me guessing every step of the way. He's facing a strong and sinister supernatural threat, which also adds to the mystery and the suspense, even though sometimes I felt I wanted more answers and explanations than provided. I also registered some pressure or need of mine to place his occasional cynicism and existential despair in a somewhat less pessimistic light than his overall situation demanded. Judging by the ending, that may have been a mistake on my part.
Needless to say, I highly recommend the book: it's a solid horror story, with some triggers that might be tough for some. And I'm still thinking about the ending!
This is not at all a morality tale, however: in fact, even the author himself confesses in the afterword ("Why I Wrote This Book ") that despite his own clear 'theoretical' position on the matter, he doesn't know how he'd act if confronted with the dilemma in his story. I myself felt divided on the issue, which I take as the mark of good writing: if you can see the moral from a mile away, it's not fiction, it's just sermonizing.
In the story, a supernatural entity is feeding on the homeless (hope I can say that without trouble). The main character, a seventy-year-old man living in the streets and a former journalist who once hoped to bring to light the corruption in American politics, takes it upon himself to discover what's behind his friends and acquaintances disappearing. He's a man, however, with a deeply traumatic past, and although he's described with uncanny precision to detail and plenty of empathy, his flaws make him a person perhaps a bit too real to easily relate to.
His journey carries a lot of pain. There was never a lull spot or dragging in his story, which is told in dual timelines, though not at all confusingly or rushed. The author gave me everything I needed to make sense of this quintessential American character: I was getting everything from his side only, sure, but in a way that never spoiled things and kept me guessing every step of the way. He's facing a strong and sinister supernatural threat, which also adds to the mystery and the suspense, even though sometimes I felt I wanted more answers and explanations than provided. I also registered some pressure or need of mine to place his occasional cynicism and existential despair in a somewhat less pessimistic light than his overall situation demanded. Judging by the ending, that may have been a mistake on my part.
Needless to say, I highly recommend the book: it's a solid horror story, with some triggers that might be tough for some. And I'm still thinking about the ending!
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Audiobook Review
Author: Joseph Murnane
Narrator: Tom Jordan
Title: Hostile Architecture
Book Rating: 4 Stars
Audio Rating: 5 Stars
Genre: Cosmic Horror
I would like to thank Joseph Murnane for giving me an advanced Audible code in exchange for an honest review.
Hostile Architecture was an incredibly dark, incredibly twisted, yet incredibly captivating story that I just didn’t want to end. Very rarely would you hear me say that I didn’t want a story to end, that I wanted more, but this story has definitely made me hungry for more.
This novella revolves around a homeless man, Ben, and how he always tries to make the best of everything. But when other homeless people start disappearing, he knows something dark is happening around him. Plagued by his past and hunted in his present, will he find out what is happening on the streets?
Murnane is an excellent storyteller, and Hostile Architecture proves that he can take some deep themes and harsh realities and pack them into a short novella like a pro. You get fully invested in the characters and are left emotionally destroyed afterwards. My only critique is that I wish some of the other side-characters were fleshed out a little more. That would have added more depth to the story.
And as always, Tom Jordan is simply one of the best narrators out there. He adds another layer to this story that really brings it up a notch. His soothing, deep voice draws you in and makes you feel comfortable, before delivering some of the creepiest lines anyone can mutter.
Make sure you pick up Hostile Architecture when it gets released tomorrow, April 1st. It’s a quick read that you will finish in just a couple of hours, but you will not be sorry. It was truly amazing.
Author: Joseph Murnane
Narrator: Tom Jordan
Title: Hostile Architecture
Book Rating: 4 Stars
Audio Rating: 5 Stars
Genre: Cosmic Horror
I would like to thank Joseph Murnane for giving me an advanced Audible code in exchange for an honest review.
Hostile Architecture was an incredibly dark, incredibly twisted, yet incredibly captivating story that I just didn’t want to end. Very rarely would you hear me say that I didn’t want a story to end, that I wanted more, but this story has definitely made me hungry for more.
This novella revolves around a homeless man, Ben, and how he always tries to make the best of everything. But when other homeless people start disappearing, he knows something dark is happening around him. Plagued by his past and hunted in his present, will he find out what is happening on the streets?
Murnane is an excellent storyteller, and Hostile Architecture proves that he can take some deep themes and harsh realities and pack them into a short novella like a pro. You get fully invested in the characters and are left emotionally destroyed afterwards. My only critique is that I wish some of the other side-characters were fleshed out a little more. That would have added more depth to the story.
And as always, Tom Jordan is simply one of the best narrators out there. He adds another layer to this story that really brings it up a notch. His soothing, deep voice draws you in and makes you feel comfortable, before delivering some of the creepiest lines anyone can mutter.
Make sure you pick up Hostile Architecture when it gets released tomorrow, April 1st. It’s a quick read that you will finish in just a couple of hours, but you will not be sorry. It was truly amazing.
Review of advance copy received from Author
One of my favorites who I anxiously wait for a crumb of story and when we get one, do we ever get one.
Will be adding this to my shelf as soon as he has them available.
As usual he will absolutely ruin you with his words, whether you are a new reader to him or you know what's coming, it's impossible not to feel the words chipping away at you until you are lost and in this case conflicted between, what wpuld you do in this situation?
Typically I feel like you know one way or another or at least the story your reading makes it terribly easy to feel like you've +1'd everyone but this one maybe not so much.
The evil in this story is preying on the disadvantaged of the city, those with no home, no help nothing to remeber them.
No ones cares so no one checks into it until our MC says fuck it we gotta do something, but he's not exactly the noble hero he's flawed, troubled and that past? It's a rough one.
I don't know how to explain the absolute feeling of claustrophobia I felt reading this, it crept in and had me locking up a few times and I don't mean just the physical description of what was going on, it was the story itself pressing down as I turned the pages, but you can't stop.
This story is a lot of choices and most of the time those choices? They aren't so sinister but sometimes they add up into something, something else then intended.
This was sad and bleak and exactly why I love his writing, it's beautifully horrifying.
I don't want to give more away because this is an experience you need to feel yourself.
Will be adding this to my shelf as soon as he has them available.
As usual he will absolutely ruin you with his words, whether you are a new reader to him or you know what's coming, it's impossible not to feel the words chipping away at you until you are lost and in this case conflicted between, what wpuld you do in this situation?
Typically I feel like you know one way or another or at least the story your reading makes it terribly easy to feel like you've +1'd everyone but this one maybe not so much.
The evil in this story is preying on the disadvantaged of the city, those with no home, no help nothing to remeber them.
No ones cares so no one checks into it until our MC says fuck it we gotta do something, but he's not exactly the noble hero he's flawed, troubled and that past? It's a rough one.
I don't know how to explain the absolute feeling of claustrophobia I felt reading this, it crept in and had me locking up a few times and I don't mean just the physical description of what was going on, it was the story itself pressing down as I turned the pages, but you can't stop.
This story is a lot of choices and most of the time those choices? They aren't so sinister but sometimes they add up into something, something else then intended.
This was sad and bleak and exactly why I love his writing, it's beautifully horrifying.
I don't want to give more away because this is an experience you need to feel yourself.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Book Review: Hostile Architecture by Joseph Murnane
Expected Release Date April 1st, 2026
This novella follows the story of Dr. Ben Castle, an ex-reporter who has fallen on hard times, and how he processes the grief of everything that’s unfolded before him. Seems simple enough of a premise, but don’t be fooled, this narrative continues to layers of nuance and subtlety.
I don’t want to give away too much, but the supernatural elements of the story and their reflection of the character’s journey through the processing of their own grief were well thought out. I’m also a fan of the “worm mother”. It was a cool concept whose execution was well incorporated and provided a nice sense of atmospheric foreboding throughout the story.
The pacing of the ending of the novella does get a little rushed, and a lot unfolds rather quickly, with some of the elements I feel being more open to interpretation in some aspects, but not enough to detract from the quality of the story.
All in all, I recommend this one to anyone who's a fan of social commentary, grief horror, and looking for something that’ll stick with you for a while after you finish. Kudos to you, Mr. Murnane. I give this one a very solid ⅘ stars.
Expected Release Date April 1st, 2026
This novella follows the story of Dr. Ben Castle, an ex-reporter who has fallen on hard times, and how he processes the grief of everything that’s unfolded before him. Seems simple enough of a premise, but don’t be fooled, this narrative continues to layers of nuance and subtlety.
I don’t want to give away too much, but the supernatural elements of the story and their reflection of the character’s journey through the processing of their own grief were well thought out. I’m also a fan of the “worm mother”. It was a cool concept whose execution was well incorporated and provided a nice sense of atmospheric foreboding throughout the story.
The pacing of the ending of the novella does get a little rushed, and a lot unfolds rather quickly, with some of the elements I feel being more open to interpretation in some aspects, but not enough to detract from the quality of the story.
All in all, I recommend this one to anyone who's a fan of social commentary, grief horror, and looking for something that’ll stick with you for a while after you finish. Kudos to you, Mr. Murnane. I give this one a very solid ⅘ stars.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is the third book I've read from Joseph and as I've expected this was a hard hitting story. It's a supernatural/grief horror story that askes the question how much are you willing to hurt others just to make sure you're safe?
Despite the supernatural elements, this story will make you feel uncomfortable as it explores what's really left of the 'American Dream'. A journalist wants to explore the truth and expose the corruption in American politics. However, he has his own demons that will wreck havoc on him. It's a dark tale that doesn't pull any punches.
What got me the most was the ending as it made me cry. It turns out that we're all self-serving at times. Some hard truths are explored in this one. Joseph does mention his reason for writing this story, which I thought was a nice personal touch.
I'll finish by saying, it'll be tough to predict who's really the 'good' guy in this story as there is plenty of morally questionable things the characters do. However, I'm sure there's a bit of Ben in each of us, which makes this a relatable tale.
Easily a 5 star read for me.
Despite the supernatural elements, this story will make you feel uncomfortable as it explores what's really left of the 'American Dream'. A journalist wants to explore the truth and expose the corruption in American politics. However, he has his own demons that will wreck havoc on him. It's a dark tale that doesn't pull any punches.
What got me the most was the ending as it made me cry. It turns out that we're all self-serving at times. Some hard truths are explored in this one. Joseph does mention his reason for writing this story, which I thought was a nice personal touch.
I'll finish by saying, it'll be tough to predict who's really the 'good' guy in this story as there is plenty of morally questionable things the characters do. However, I'm sure there's a bit of Ben in each of us, which makes this a relatable tale.
Easily a 5 star read for me.
April 2, 2026
Joseph Murnane was already one of my favorite indie horror authors on the strength of It Eats Your Hunger and Dead Rabbit, and I’m happy to say Hostile Architecture is likewise fantastic.
I want to start with the end. The epilogue. Man, I don’t know the last time I was SO pissed off. Don’t get the wrong idea - it was a brilliant ending. But it made me heartsick and so so angry because it felt disappointingly, terrifyingly, infuriatingly true.
And the the Author’s Note. Why he wrote this book. It’s the first time I ever cried reading one. It really adds so much to the dark layers of this story, and yet - this is the part that made me cry - it had such a beautiful hopefulness. I didn’t know how much I was needing that until I felt a tear roll down my cheek. So, thanks for that.
Now back to everything that came before. It’s a deep, dark, twisty fever dream of grief, loss, and existential cosmic terror, and it’s brilliant.
It’s short. It’s smart. It’s scary. It’s devastating. You’re definitely going to want to read this one. I think that’s enough said.
I want to start with the end. The epilogue. Man, I don’t know the last time I was SO pissed off. Don’t get the wrong idea - it was a brilliant ending. But it made me heartsick and so so angry because it felt disappointingly, terrifyingly, infuriatingly true.
And the the Author’s Note. Why he wrote this book. It’s the first time I ever cried reading one. It really adds so much to the dark layers of this story, and yet - this is the part that made me cry - it had such a beautiful hopefulness. I didn’t know how much I was needing that until I felt a tear roll down my cheek. So, thanks for that.
Now back to everything that came before. It’s a deep, dark, twisty fever dream of grief, loss, and existential cosmic terror, and it’s brilliant.
It’s short. It’s smart. It’s scary. It’s devastating. You’re definitely going to want to read this one. I think that’s enough said.
April 3, 2026
I have to admit that I'm not quite sure what I just read. Definitely grief horror involved, but I am lost as to the nature of the supernatural aspects of the book. The author is definitely a great storyteller and his writing is always spot-on.
Dr. Ben Castle was a successful journalist/author when his wife died. Now, he is homeless and estranged from his twin daughters. When the vagrant population starts to dwindle, Ben's past of investigation leads him to try to figure out what is happening. But, the distraction for me is the overall trippness of the tale with the almost fever dream quality that made a bit hard to read.
This book will definitely make you think and evaluate your own idea of the American Dream. What would you do or who would you sacrifice to obtain your goals? It's definitely heartbreaking at times and I will probably think about it a lot over the next few days. I would like to know more about the Worm Mother and her minions.
The narrator did a good job and added a lot to the book.
Dr. Ben Castle was a successful journalist/author when his wife died. Now, he is homeless and estranged from his twin daughters. When the vagrant population starts to dwindle, Ben's past of investigation leads him to try to figure out what is happening. But, the distraction for me is the overall trippness of the tale with the almost fever dream quality that made a bit hard to read.
This book will definitely make you think and evaluate your own idea of the American Dream. What would you do or who would you sacrifice to obtain your goals? It's definitely heartbreaking at times and I will probably think about it a lot over the next few days. I would like to know more about the Worm Mother and her minions.
The narrator did a good job and added a lot to the book.
April 20, 2026
It’s been a while since I last read a book by Joseph, and the only reason is because it’s been a long time between releases. This is by no means me making a dig at Joseph, it’s just because he’s the type of author I could read 100 books from in a week, if I had the time.
Once again the author has introduced us to a grim world, with characters who are surrounded by tragedy. Ben Castle as a protagonist is someone you want to root for, but also yell at. As the story unravels and switched between timelines, you learn there is so much more to Ben than being a homeless, alcoholic bum. He’s seen success, been happily married, is a father to two daughters who he’s estranged from, but the path from a blessed life to one of ruin is mapped out over the chapters, and by the end of the book’s shocking conclusion, you will feel every emotion.
An easy 5 star reads for me, and I can tell you that the next release of Joseph’s will be met with equal enthusiasm.
Once again the author has introduced us to a grim world, with characters who are surrounded by tragedy. Ben Castle as a protagonist is someone you want to root for, but also yell at. As the story unravels and switched between timelines, you learn there is so much more to Ben than being a homeless, alcoholic bum. He’s seen success, been happily married, is a father to two daughters who he’s estranged from, but the path from a blessed life to one of ruin is mapped out over the chapters, and by the end of the book’s shocking conclusion, you will feel every emotion.
An easy 5 star reads for me, and I can tell you that the next release of Joseph’s will be met with equal enthusiasm.
February 19, 2026
Title: Hostile Architecture
Author: Joseph Murnane
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A modern supernatural parable that is both timely and well-written. With any of Murnane’s work, you’ll find yourself thinking about the story and the dilemmas he presents his characters with. Hostile Architecture is no exception. For me, it made me question what is truly honorable in the way we lead our lives. It challenges the concept of altruism in an intelligent way. This is a story you’ll need to read word by word, evaluating each character action by action, deciding for yourself who is ‘good.’ In fact, how do you define ‘good’ through the foggy truth Murnane presents you with. Hell, the truth the world presents you with—Murnane merely removes the veil.
Nothing in this book is morally simple. But it is profound.
Author: Joseph Murnane
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A modern supernatural parable that is both timely and well-written. With any of Murnane’s work, you’ll find yourself thinking about the story and the dilemmas he presents his characters with. Hostile Architecture is no exception. For me, it made me question what is truly honorable in the way we lead our lives. It challenges the concept of altruism in an intelligent way. This is a story you’ll need to read word by word, evaluating each character action by action, deciding for yourself who is ‘good.’ In fact, how do you define ‘good’ through the foggy truth Murnane presents you with. Hell, the truth the world presents you with—Murnane merely removes the veil.
Nothing in this book is morally simple. But it is profound.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Joseph Murnane does not disappoint yet again.
What we do for our loved ones and what is self serving is often a fine line… do we know what that line looks like? We see a changing world through a self-pitying, transient view and our own morales are challenged with Ben’s.
Truly, this book stuck with me. Sometimes I find myself considering would I choose the same path? Would I go in a different direction? We all like to think we know what the right choice is. This is what I love about Murnane’s work. It sucks you in, throws true horrors at you, then delivers an existential punch.
Join us in the Hostile Architecture.
What we do for our loved ones and what is self serving is often a fine line… do we know what that line looks like? We see a changing world through a self-pitying, transient view and our own morales are challenged with Ben’s.
Truly, this book stuck with me. Sometimes I find myself considering would I choose the same path? Would I go in a different direction? We all like to think we know what the right choice is. This is what I love about Murnane’s work. It sucks you in, throws true horrors at you, then delivers an existential punch.
Join us in the Hostile Architecture.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to the author for providing a review copy.
Another hit from Joseph Murnane. The book starts out with homeless people disappearing off the streets after speaking to a mysterious man. It quickly gets pretty trippy and cosmic, and we start to learn more and more of the MC's backstory. Murnane does a beautiful job of highlighting that every person on the street has a story to tell. I devoured it in one sitting and loved the ending. 4.25 stars
Another hit from Joseph Murnane. The book starts out with homeless people disappearing off the streets after speaking to a mysterious man. It quickly gets pretty trippy and cosmic, and we start to learn more and more of the MC's backstory. Murnane does a beautiful job of highlighting that every person on the street has a story to tell. I devoured it in one sitting and loved the ending. 4.25 stars
Review of advance copy received from Author
Fantastic character work!
April 9, 2026
Joseph, you come back here and tell me how to fix this, damn it.
I’m pissed and sad. Ten stars.
I’m pissed and sad. Ten stars.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This author keeps surprising me with their creativity and their ability to transport the reader into hell and back in the space of a few pages! The narration by Tom Jordan was truly good, delivering all the emotions!
This is a cosmic/supernatural/grief horror that forces the reader to reflect on society and the endless daily grind, with the question? Is it all worth it? The reader is left to wonder what would they do if in the same position as the main character Ben: would they choose selfishness in the pursuit of truth and the betterment of others, or choose their interests and happiness?
Through Ben, an investigative journalist down on his luck, this might seem an easy answer, especially after he starts going after The Worm Mother, this all mighty entity, determined to bring him down by having him relieve his life and his choices.
As Ben chooses again to do the right thing, he’s put through grief and so much pain, finally realising what is really life meant to be and what he’s willing to do to make it happen!
I can’t deny, I felt a knot in my stomach throughout listening to this story, in addition to desperation, rage and unease. What is life really about? What are we doing on this earth? What does it mean ‘a life worth living’?
This novella is a lot and doesn’t hold back, and that’s why I love this author, and if you haven’t experienced their writing, you should start now!
Thanks to the author for the audiobook and this is my honest opinion.
This is a cosmic/supernatural/grief horror that forces the reader to reflect on society and the endless daily grind, with the question? Is it all worth it? The reader is left to wonder what would they do if in the same position as the main character Ben: would they choose selfishness in the pursuit of truth and the betterment of others, or choose their interests and happiness?
Through Ben, an investigative journalist down on his luck, this might seem an easy answer, especially after he starts going after The Worm Mother, this all mighty entity, determined to bring him down by having him relieve his life and his choices.
As Ben chooses again to do the right thing, he’s put through grief and so much pain, finally realising what is really life meant to be and what he’s willing to do to make it happen!
I can’t deny, I felt a knot in my stomach throughout listening to this story, in addition to desperation, rage and unease. What is life really about? What are we doing on this earth? What does it mean ‘a life worth living’?
This novella is a lot and doesn’t hold back, and that’s why I love this author, and if you haven’t experienced their writing, you should start now!
Thanks to the author for the audiobook and this is my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Murnane explores complex grief and societal issues in his new work. Sad, horrifying, tragic, unfair, and overall cosmically weird. Those were the thoughts and emotions flowing through me as I read.
I struggled a bit at times to grasp what was really going on in real time, and I wish there was more depth to the side characters.
A really good read that will have you thinking about your impact and interactions with loved ones, society, and even strangers on the street.
I struggled a bit at times to grasp what was really going on in real time, and I wish there was more depth to the side characters.
A really good read that will have you thinking about your impact and interactions with loved ones, society, and even strangers on the street.
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