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Nothing But The Beast
"DON'T GET UP.
DON'T OPEN THE DOOR.
DON'T DO ANYTHING."
Macy Miller had always done what was expected.
Until the night she didn't.
Her husband is outside in the snow.
She watches.
She waits.
She does nothing.
By morning, he’s in a coma.
What follows is not a mystery, but a reckoning.
As whispers spread and the past she buried begins to surface, Macy struggles to hold together the life she built on silence and conformity. But the night won’t let go—and neither will the realization of what she’s capable of.
Nothing But the Beast is a literary psychological novel about guilt, repression, and the consequences of a single moment of inaction. Not a whodunit, but a slow-burning descent into self-recognition—where the most unsettling question isn’t what happened, but why she didn’t stop it.
What if you just let it happen?
For readers who love domestic gothic fiction and psychologically unsettling stories in the tradition of Shirley Jackson and Ottessa Moshfegh.
DON'T OPEN THE DOOR.
DON'T DO ANYTHING."
Macy Miller had always done what was expected.
Until the night she didn't.
Her husband is outside in the snow.
She watches.
She waits.
She does nothing.
By morning, he’s in a coma.
What follows is not a mystery, but a reckoning.
As whispers spread and the past she buried begins to surface, Macy struggles to hold together the life she built on silence and conformity. But the night won’t let go—and neither will the realization of what she’s capable of.
Nothing But the Beast is a literary psychological novel about guilt, repression, and the consequences of a single moment of inaction. Not a whodunit, but a slow-burning descent into self-recognition—where the most unsettling question isn’t what happened, but why she didn’t stop it.
What if you just let it happen?
For readers who love domestic gothic fiction and psychologically unsettling stories in the tradition of Shirley Jackson and Ottessa Moshfegh.
199 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 15, 2026
About the author
Andrew Schrader
7 books13 followersAndrew Schrader is a Los Angeles-based author and filmmaker.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 17, 2026
“Don't Get Up. Don't Open The Door. Don't Do Anything.”
Nothing But the Beast by Andrew Schrader is a fantastic book by the author. I have read another of his books and I really like his writing. You get pulled in on the very first page and don't let go until the end of the book. The story is about Macy Miller who does everything she must to keep her marriage and life together until one night when her husband comes home, she doesn't do what she is supposed to. She has a past also, where things happened and she can't let go of that. The ending is a fitting ending for Macy and it makes perfect sense to her character to do what she did. I really liked the ending! I love that the author is writing about being yourself in a way and not hiding who you are truly to other people, because eventually this can catch up to bite you in the butt, so to speak. You can have something destroy everything that you worked so hard for if you are lying about yourself and who you are/what you stand for. I can not WAIT to read more by the author soon, he is rapidly becoming one of my new favorite authors!
Nothing But the Beast by Andrew Schrader is a fantastic book by the author. I have read another of his books and I really like his writing. You get pulled in on the very first page and don't let go until the end of the book. The story is about Macy Miller who does everything she must to keep her marriage and life together until one night when her husband comes home, she doesn't do what she is supposed to. She has a past also, where things happened and she can't let go of that. The ending is a fitting ending for Macy and it makes perfect sense to her character to do what she did. I really liked the ending! I love that the author is writing about being yourself in a way and not hiding who you are truly to other people, because eventually this can catch up to bite you in the butt, so to speak. You can have something destroy everything that you worked so hard for if you are lying about yourself and who you are/what you stand for. I can not WAIT to read more by the author soon, he is rapidly becoming one of my new favorite authors!
May 15, 2026
What an absolute trip of a book. I kept swaying between Macy and Chris the entire time, trying to figure out who was right, who was wrong, and whether either of them really deserved what happened. It digs into those tiny dark thoughts people never say out loud and asks what happens when you stop fighting them.
My brain was working overtime the whole read, constantly trying to piece everything together and understand Macy’s choices. And then THAT ending?! Holy. Freaking. Heck.
This isn’t a fast-paced thriller or a whodunit. It’s slow, unsettling, tense, and deeply psychological in a way that just crawls under your skin, literally able to feel those little spiders weaving their webs. The guilt, repression, silence, and self-justification were written so well that I honestly felt uncomfortable at times.. but, like, in the best way.
If you love domestic gothic fiction that leaves you questioning morality, accountability, and human nature long after you finish, this one is absolutely worth the read.
Thank you so much to Andrew Schrader and R&R Book Tours for allowing me to get a copy of this book!
My brain was working overtime the whole read, constantly trying to piece everything together and understand Macy’s choices. And then THAT ending?! Holy. Freaking. Heck.
This isn’t a fast-paced thriller or a whodunit. It’s slow, unsettling, tense, and deeply psychological in a way that just crawls under your skin, literally able to feel those little spiders weaving their webs. The guilt, repression, silence, and self-justification were written so well that I honestly felt uncomfortable at times.. but, like, in the best way.
If you love domestic gothic fiction that leaves you questioning morality, accountability, and human nature long after you finish, this one is absolutely worth the read.
Thank you so much to Andrew Schrader and R&R Book Tours for allowing me to get a copy of this book!
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
Thank you to the author and RR Book Tours for the early physical copy!
This. Was. A. Wild. Ride.
Wow. I absolutely devoured this book. One sitting and done. We follow our main character Macy, as she navigates a difficult time in her marriage and the demons from her past. Or are they really in her past??
Macy seems unassuming and quiet, but we learn throughout this story that there may be more to her than meets the eye. Macy makes a decision one night, and the next morning her husband is in a coma. From there, we watch as she deals with the outcomes of her actions. However, we also learn a lot more about her childhood and the lasting effects that her experiences have had on her to this day.
If you like a fast paced and slightly disturbing psychological thriller, like me, then this is a book for you! As much as I was shocked by what was happening in the book, it was those quickly moving plot points that kept me entranced in this story. You won't know what is coming next.
This. Was. A. Wild. Ride.
Wow. I absolutely devoured this book. One sitting and done. We follow our main character Macy, as she navigates a difficult time in her marriage and the demons from her past. Or are they really in her past??
Macy seems unassuming and quiet, but we learn throughout this story that there may be more to her than meets the eye. Macy makes a decision one night, and the next morning her husband is in a coma. From there, we watch as she deals with the outcomes of her actions. However, we also learn a lot more about her childhood and the lasting effects that her experiences have had on her to this day.
If you like a fast paced and slightly disturbing psychological thriller, like me, then this is a book for you! As much as I was shocked by what was happening in the book, it was those quickly moving plot points that kept me entranced in this story. You won't know what is coming next.
May 1, 2026
The way I ate this one UP! Can my review just be: THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!
Because it was, and I want more!
It was the fastest pace and the twistiest twists. It gave me some feelings all up in my gut while I was reading especially in the beginning….I was like what are we doing and where are we going from here!!? I was sort of a bundle of nerves while reading, but not in a bad way!
We all battle with beasts and demons, we all do things that make us second guess our reasonings and actions or lack there of, and acting with failure to think of the consequences. Sometimes it works out; sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes it leads to other action packed corners, sometimes the rag is easiest to just throw in and face the truth of our inner monster who may eventually shine even if we try to hide it. Watching Macy and her beast in this adventure felt wild, terrifying, empowering and courageous all at the same time.
I am completely obsessed with the authors writing style look forward to more!
Because it was, and I want more!
It was the fastest pace and the twistiest twists. It gave me some feelings all up in my gut while I was reading especially in the beginning….I was like what are we doing and where are we going from here!!? I was sort of a bundle of nerves while reading, but not in a bad way!
We all battle with beasts and demons, we all do things that make us second guess our reasonings and actions or lack there of, and acting with failure to think of the consequences. Sometimes it works out; sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes it leads to other action packed corners, sometimes the rag is easiest to just throw in and face the truth of our inner monster who may eventually shine even if we try to hide it. Watching Macy and her beast in this adventure felt wild, terrifying, empowering and courageous all at the same time.
I am completely obsessed with the authors writing style look forward to more!
April 16, 2026
“Even a non-choice is a choice.”
The author did a great job at pulling us in with vivid descriptions. The surroundings, feelings, sounds, everything was written very detailed providing a great visual. At one point I thought I could feel the cold snow.
This was a quick read - finished in one sitting. Disturbing in the best way… Macy has a beast within (although it seems maybe we all do in various forms) and the struggle of living with it is real. Does she follow the life expected of her or does she embrace her inner self and live the life she’s imagined since a kid in Low Town? You’ll have to read it to find out!
The author did a great job at pulling us in with vivid descriptions. The surroundings, feelings, sounds, everything was written very detailed providing a great visual. At one point I thought I could feel the cold snow.
This was a quick read - finished in one sitting. Disturbing in the best way… Macy has a beast within (although it seems maybe we all do in various forms) and the struggle of living with it is real. Does she follow the life expected of her or does she embrace her inner self and live the life she’s imagined since a kid in Low Town? You’ll have to read it to find out!
March 15, 2026
This story of a woman who has spent her life fighting to fit into the mold of a person she thought she should be starting give up that battle is both empowering and frightening. We all have moments where we think “What if we just let the bad thing happen? What if I didn’t stop it? What if I just let it happen?” Getting to see that play out sent a little thrill up my spine. Wading through Macy’s thought process was such an interesting voyeuristic feel that reminded me just how much I enjoy Andrew’s writing.
April 25, 2026
Came for a thriller stayed for self reflection. This book really makes you think about how every non-choice is infact still a choice.
The female lead of this book Macy makes the decision one night to not help her alcoholic husband in the house when he comes home during a winter storm and it sets everything in her life off kilter.
I will be thinking about this book and its ending for a long time because the way Macy leaves things behind will have me wondering about the fate of her family after she left for a while..
The female lead of this book Macy makes the decision one night to not help her alcoholic husband in the house when he comes home during a winter storm and it sets everything in her life off kilter.
I will be thinking about this book and its ending for a long time because the way Macy leaves things behind will have me wondering about the fate of her family after she left for a while..
July 1, 2026
I read this and went through the entirety of it thinking in a way she found some grim satisfaction in not making a choice. Sadly, if I were in her position, I’m not sure what I would’ve done. It’s not like he was a stellar man. But choices even when you decide to not truly make one, have consequences too. I was completely enthralled with this one. Because you question yourself throughout. I felt this to my core. I was pulled into this psychological aspect of this and loved every moment.
April 19, 2026
This book follows the story of Macy. One day her drunk husband comes home, falls in the snow and she does not help him into the house. Macy has a past and her inaction may have consequences for her. You must read to find out.
The ending of this book was everything and not what I expected at all. I loved the authors writing and story telling and descriptions. I was captivated from the first page through the last. I will definitely be reading more from this author.
The ending of this book was everything and not what I expected at all. I loved the authors writing and story telling and descriptions. I was captivated from the first page through the last. I will definitely be reading more from this author.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews