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The Netting
Thrust into the harsh reality of her first professional job, a young woman finds herself stranded in a decaying part of the city where her workday never seems to end. As evening falls, the city’s systemic abandonment transforms into a suffocating maze of escalating threats and predatory shadows. What began as a milestone of adulthood quickly descends into a fight for survival against a landscape that feels increasingly hostile.
124 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 27, 2026
About the author
David Lopera
9 books17 followersInstagram: @davidlopera_fiction
davidloperafiction.com
David's passion for exploring the complexities of the human condition, fueled by his deep interest in philosophy, religion, and art, informs his writing. His novels delve into moral dilemmas, the search for meaning, and the enduring power of the human spirit. When not crafting stories, he can be found riding his motorcycle, hiking through nature, or losing himself in a good comic book or horror novel.
davidloperafiction.com
David's passion for exploring the complexities of the human condition, fueled by his deep interest in philosophy, religion, and art, informs his writing. His novels delve into moral dilemmas, the search for meaning, and the enduring power of the human spirit. When not crafting stories, he can be found riding his motorcycle, hiking through nature, or losing himself in a good comic book or horror novel.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 18, 2026
Why am I in such a reading slump?! And what did I just read?? Did not like this book at all.
July 5, 2026
Read an ARC review from the author 1 star added for kindness because i know how difficult it
is to actually write in such a pain in the ass system.
I listened to the audiobook handled quite nicely by Wren Lockley (pronunciation of the Hispanic last name 'Guzman' within the first story notwithstanding.) The editors needed to add a beat between each story though because every chapter title is announced like a random word in the previous story.
The Netting (i still don't know the correlation of the title and
the story) I don't remember if a certain year was said, but
there was a meme ritual performed within the protagonist's classroom
(which i thought would be a major point of the story, but unfortunately wasn't)
which dates it around 2015 through the present ... that's why I found it quite
humorous that certain locations of New York City which I have frequented have
been described in this as urban hellscapes that are
fox news levels of comical depiction.
I don't know Mr. Lopera's history with New York, but it was
interesting to hear of areas I have been to for work and then reading
about being downright hellish and demonic! Good thing i escaped to figure
how awful they really are from this book.
Are there terrible locations in New York to avoid, damn straight, but this warning story about a young white woman in the deep evil South Bronx at the mercy of the ethnics almost has an exploitative 80's reminiscence to it.
Every young Black/Latino is mentally disabled or shadowy villain (including iced out
fangs to charm in-coitus rape victims) and every older Black/Latino is
an eye-rolling magical negro to help guide the hero to safety ...
once you're at peace with that you can then accept the would-be-human
trafficking white cop who becomes the primary antagonist ...
he essentially becomes the t-1000 ready to break through walls and
publicly shoot people to save his job in the hunt for the poor mc.
Does that make sense, probably not, but it's a horror novel, it's exploitation.
I'm not above reading offensive or gross novels (hell, Dead Inside is comedy gold)
this is the first one i listened to in a loong while though.
Apparently this is more extreme horror than a splatterpunk in terms of literary profundity.
Lopera has a good grasp of narrative, he makes the MC likeable enough ... The opening of the
material, with the main character navigating a lethargic school system was far more interesting
than the terror she endures for the following half of the novella. Lopera is not at fault
for my tastes, he delivers the goods of a protagonist trying to get the fuck out of a shitty situation
for anyone looking for that.
The synopsis promises more of a minotaur's maze when what we get really
is the last 20 minutes of the Texas chainsaw massacre where Sally tirelessly runs away
from Leatherface. If you liked that, this is for you.
I found the nuggets of promised terror very intriguing tho we do literally have
what would be called a modern remake of Richard Laymon's "come out tonight" with
the fat of side characters excised.
included are some short stories like BLOOD MONEY which
begins so immediately, i kept replaying the last minute of the first story
because i couldn't believe how it ended...
Blood is charming ... about a vampire's assistant which mixes the stories
of Dean Corl and "let me in" the novel by Lindqvist ... it gets extremely
interesting and is over before it begins
Ultimately Silent Invasion is a pastiche of night of the creeps/stephen king's CELL
and night of the living dead paranoia, people becoming maniac killers after an
apparent space invasion. I don't mean to call Lopera as a copy-artist, I only
reference other material in the sense of knowing where the story goes.
If you're a fan of the books/films i compared them to you might get a little enjoyment
out of this. they're fast, page turning little vignettes for those that want their horror satiated.
is to actually write in such a pain in the ass system.
I listened to the audiobook handled quite nicely by Wren Lockley (pronunciation of the Hispanic last name 'Guzman' within the first story notwithstanding.) The editors needed to add a beat between each story though because every chapter title is announced like a random word in the previous story.
The Netting (i still don't know the correlation of the title and
the story) I don't remember if a certain year was said, but
there was a meme ritual performed within the protagonist's classroom
(which i thought would be a major point of the story, but unfortunately wasn't)
which dates it around 2015 through the present ... that's why I found it quite
humorous that certain locations of New York City which I have frequented have
been described in this as urban hellscapes that are
fox news levels of comical depiction.
I don't know Mr. Lopera's history with New York, but it was
interesting to hear of areas I have been to for work and then reading
about being downright hellish and demonic! Good thing i escaped to figure
how awful they really are from this book.
Are there terrible locations in New York to avoid, damn straight, but this warning story about a young white woman in the deep evil South Bronx at the mercy of the ethnics almost has an exploitative 80's reminiscence to it.
Every young Black/Latino is mentally disabled or shadowy villain (including iced out
fangs to charm in-coitus rape victims) and every older Black/Latino is
an eye-rolling magical negro to help guide the hero to safety ...
once you're at peace with that you can then accept the would-be-human
trafficking white cop who becomes the primary antagonist ...
he essentially becomes the t-1000 ready to break through walls and
publicly shoot people to save his job in the hunt for the poor mc.
Does that make sense, probably not, but it's a horror novel, it's exploitation.
I'm not above reading offensive or gross novels (hell, Dead Inside is comedy gold)
this is the first one i listened to in a loong while though.
Apparently this is more extreme horror than a splatterpunk in terms of literary profundity.
Lopera has a good grasp of narrative, he makes the MC likeable enough ... The opening of the
material, with the main character navigating a lethargic school system was far more interesting
than the terror she endures for the following half of the novella. Lopera is not at fault
for my tastes, he delivers the goods of a protagonist trying to get the fuck out of a shitty situation
for anyone looking for that.
The synopsis promises more of a minotaur's maze when what we get really
is the last 20 minutes of the Texas chainsaw massacre where Sally tirelessly runs away
from Leatherface. If you liked that, this is for you.
I found the nuggets of promised terror very intriguing tho we do literally have
what would be called a modern remake of Richard Laymon's "come out tonight" with
the fat of side characters excised.
included are some short stories like BLOOD MONEY which
begins so immediately, i kept replaying the last minute of the first story
because i couldn't believe how it ended...
Blood is charming ... about a vampire's assistant which mixes the stories
of Dean Corl and "let me in" the novel by Lindqvist ... it gets extremely
interesting and is over before it begins
Ultimately Silent Invasion is a pastiche of night of the creeps/stephen king's CELL
and night of the living dead paranoia, people becoming maniac killers after an
apparent space invasion. I don't mean to call Lopera as a copy-artist, I only
reference other material in the sense of knowing where the story goes.
If you're a fan of the books/films i compared them to you might get a little enjoyment
out of this. they're fast, page turning little vignettes for those that want their horror satiated.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2026
The Netting was an absolute surprise and a real page-turner from beginning to end. Liz's journey through this urban nightmare is outrageous, frightening, and relentlessly tense. What starts as an ordinary day at work (she's a teacher) quickly spirals into something much darker, and I found myself completely invested in her struggle to survive. The threats she encounters—from predators lurking in the shadows to criminals exploiting the city's decay—create a constant sense of danger that never lets up. What impressed me most was how cinematic the whole story felt. The rapist, the drug pushers, the crooked cop—each element adds another layer to a world that feels both terrifying and disturbingly believable. And just when I thought the book had given me everything it had to offer, the two short stories at the end proved to be outstanding additions. They perfectly complement the main story and leave a lasting impression. Dark, gripping, and impossible to put down. Highly recommended!
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC review for The Netting by David Lopera
This novella packs a punch and that punch comes quick. As a special education teacher I could put myself into the story early on, really connec with Liz. As the story goes on, Liz loses herself within the city and torture begins.
I was glued to this book page by page and couldn't put it down, I had to know what happened next. This novella is brutal, and has a little bit of everything for all horror readers. I will say trigger warning if you are not okay with certain sexual elements.
As a horror reader, this novella had everything that I wanted in a book. I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and I really hope there will be a part two in the future.
Thank you David for allowing me to read this ARC copy of The Netting!
This novella packs a punch and that punch comes quick. As a special education teacher I could put myself into the story early on, really connec with Liz. As the story goes on, Liz loses herself within the city and torture begins.
I was glued to this book page by page and couldn't put it down, I had to know what happened next. This novella is brutal, and has a little bit of everything for all horror readers. I will say trigger warning if you are not okay with certain sexual elements.
As a horror reader, this novella had everything that I wanted in a book. I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and I really hope there will be a part two in the future.
Thank you David for allowing me to read this ARC copy of The Netting!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a good novella. It was intense and very descriptive. I could see in my mind what was going on throughout the entire story. I love a book that can do that. It pulls you into a world that you normally wouldn’t be in. I was scared for Liz just walking to her car. I’ve felt the way at times myself. The things she was put through were awful but intense. A lot took place in this book. So if you have triggers, I would be careful. But this was a heart pounding novella. The only reason I gave this 4⭐️ was Liz drove me nuts with her negativity. I found her to be very annoying. I loved everything else about this though.
January 9, 2026
I was an ARC reader for this and I really enjoyed it. I usually don’t put spoilers in my review but I feel that for this one I must. There is a rape scene in this book but the author did it in a way that I was not triggered or disgusted by the details. I also thought that David did a great job in conveying our MC’s fears throughout the book.
May 24, 2026
Picked this up after meeting the author and finished the main story in a single evening — that should tell you something about the pacing. It's fast, action-packed, and genuinely hard to put down. If you're after a propulsive thriller you can knock out in a sitting, this one delivers.
July 4, 2026
This one is short but an absolute gut punch all the way through. It’s anxiety building, fast paced and dread inducing. Definitely not a happy story so check triggers for sure! I was holding my breath for most of this one.
Review of advance copy received from Author
That.Was.Intense.
May 6, 2026
What a cliffhanger!! This poor teacher went through hell. I live in NY but thank goodness I don't live in NYC, I'd be scared if stuff like that actually happens. I need to know what happened!
July 29, 2026
Audiobook Review
When a woman's night turns from bad to worse.
This is a quick good novella. Wren is a good narrator to listen to. Check triggers before proceeding.
When a woman's night turns from bad to worse.
This is a quick good novella. Wren is a good narrator to listen to. Check triggers before proceeding.
April 2, 2026
The Netting is very fast paced and gripping. Very descriptive as well, it was easy to imagine all of the scenes which was nice. I think it's a story that would specifically be scary for women, as some of it could and does happen in real life so trigger warning for those kinds of topics. It was an enjoyable and quick horror story and I look forward to reading more by this author!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews