The Netting

by David Lopera

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'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.

Reviews

[Mathew Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Amanda Elizabeth Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Jannet Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

That.Was.Intense.