Tapeworm: A Vampire Novel

by A.P. Thayer

From Dusk till Dawn if the characters hooked up with The Thing in this twisted, gory horror debut, where a group of friends must confront questions of identity, aging, and desire during a vampire infestation in an isolated Californian desert.

It needs to feed.

After the recent separation from his wife Trish, Victor hopes his friends' annual weekend retreat to the Californian desert town of Superstition will loosen him up and reforge the group's fraying bonds. But something is waiting underneath Superstition, crawling its way into their group, and feeding into their desires.

Victor knows too well what it means to repress his desires. He's always attempted to be the perfect partner, yet often found himself lacking. With Trish skipping the trip, he begins falling into the wild underbelly of Superstition in new ways. When the leader of the town's Welcoming Committee approaches him with a romantic, sexually charged offer, Victor wonders if it's too good to be true.

But the Welcoming Committee expects a price to be paid for its services. One that cannot be fulfilled by willing bodies alone. By the end of the weekend, group bonding will have developed a whole new meaning.

Because something is hungry for Victor and his friends.

Genres: Horror, Vampires, Fiction

400 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication August 18, 2026

About the author

A.P. Thayer is a queer, Mexican-American writer of speculative fiction. His work has appeared in Apex Magazine, Dark Matter, Uncharted Magazine, the Los Suelos multimedia anthology, and more. He is a staff writer for Frivolous Comma and has been an editor at Constelación and Para El Pueblo magazines. His debut novel, Tapeworm, is a body horror novel set in the California desert. It is forthcoming from Evil Twin in August of 2026. Outside of writing, A.P. loves cooking for others, playing RPGs around a table or on PC, and being yelled at by a small dog for lack of attention.

Reviews

[Nikki Lee (Nikkileethrillseeker) · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT DID I JUST READ 😳😳😳😳
RTC

[Gainze · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.8 The book was good, the story dragged a bit, the characters were okay, and I was just wanting more. The writing shines for itself. A.P. Thayer knows his craft and gets you into his world no matter what. The main character was annoying, but the whole friend dynamic was so real and fresh to see. I think it needed more, but to be a debut, it is really impressive work. Again, the writing: chef's kiss.

Thank you, evil twin, for the arc. This is my honest review of the book.

[Sarah D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bookseller ARC review:

Okay… this is one of those books that’s honestly hard to review for me because it’s just so weird—in a good way, but also like… what did I just read? Lol

Tapeworm is very much a character-driven, metaphor-heavy horror with a lot going on under the surface. On paper it sounds chaotic (friends, breakup, desert trip gone wrong), but it touches on grief, identity, and all the messy stuff people don’t like to sit with.

The writing is probably my favorite part—it’s super vivid and the prose is beautiful, even when what’s happening is gross. It definitely pulls you in. That said, it did drag a little for me in a few parts, and I didn’t always love the main character, but the friend group dynamic felt really “real” and added a lot to the story for me.

Overall, it’s intense, creepy, and very metaphor-heavy. Not an easy or casual read, and definitely not for everyone—but if you like horror that’s a little strange, a little uncomfortable, and makes you think, it’s worth picking up.

I’m glad I read it… it’s out of my typical genre. But would I recommend? Yes, if you like horror. If it’s not your typical genre like me… just know what you’re getting into lol

3.75/5 rounded to 4 for Goodreads

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC

[Megan Magee · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's truly a touch difficult to review this book- bits of it are so outlandish, disgusting, or acidic that mere words escape the experience 0f reading Tapeworm.
Victor and Trish are splitting up, which means their shared friend group must help them pick which of the coupling attends their annual California desert rendezvous. When Victor ends up being the winner of the two, he struggles to shake the memory of his ex, and the super.... hostile attentions of the small town's "welcoming" committee.
I would classify this as a very intense character study alongside gruesome body horror and metaphorical grief monsters/ worms. I think there is definitely so much going on within these pages, but also a lot UNDERNEATH if you spend some time with It. Super creepy and I enjoyed very much so the utter mind twists Tapeworm provided, as well as the entirely unique horror reading experience it provided. Thayer provides lushly evocative descriptions that are equal parts gorgeous, mesmerizing, and terrifying- hats off to them! Thanks so much to Zando and Evil Twin for the free copy. All opinions are entirely my own.

[Kaylee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an ARC review courtesy of NetGalley.

Tapeworm was a WILD ride.

I loved how you could not rely on the Vic’s narrative since it was obvious he was losing his awareness of reality. It started as a fairly slow decline in his sanity and then suddenly rocketed forward as the horrors manifested physically.

Tapeworm was a mix of different types of horrors, but the body horror aspect was certainly the most distressing. I felt queasy during several scenes and my heart raced when they tried removing the infection from inside themselves.

The intense sexual encounters throughout the book also made things more uncomfortable. You had to go against your instincts and avoid enjoying the moment. Because nothing is what it seems in this novel.

I feel like I also need to drink bleach after reading this.

So, A.P. Thayer, well done.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to give a big thank you to the publisher and author for letting me to read this book as an ARC.

Thoughts💭: This creep the shit out of me lol. It was amazing. I’m a big horror fan and this book is perfect for any horror fan out there and also for dark romance girlies who love trigger warnings. This book really surprised me on how scary the worms can be. This reminds me of the video game and the show called the Last of Us because of the worms being presented in this book. I really want more. I hope there’s a sequel in the future. But overall, it really feels like if someone got horny in the Last of Us world.

[Travis Butler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tapeworm
By A. P. Thayer
Pub Date; Aug 18 2026

This book is a great character study. It has fantastic character interaction. The pacing is very slow and nothing really happens until 70%. The book kept my interest because it is very well written.
My only complaint is I wish there was more action to quicken th pacing a bit.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book early in return for my honest review.

[J.V. Gachs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tapeworm is a visceral tale of broken hearts and famished monsters. With his delicate prose, a nightmarish atmosphere and exquisite yearning, A. P. Thayer reveals himself as horror’s discovery of the year.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spectacular book! Cannot recommend it enough.