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Mazywood
Not yet published
Expected 22 Sep 26All the Sinners Bleed meets My Sister, the Serial Killer in this literary thriller following the grandson of a famous Black actress from the 1940s and 1950s, now a filmmaker himself, who returns to his grandmother’s cabin retreat in the California mountains only to encounter the legacy of her rage.
With flashbacks to Johnny’s grandmother, this novel explores three generations beginning with Mazelle Washington’s life as a young actress. Fifty years after Mazelle’s death, Johnny will discover the secret she’s kept and nurtured since she was a child when she had a dark wish come true.
There’s a monster in the woods outside her mountain retreat, Mazywood, and it is lonely and angry.
With flashbacks to Johnny’s grandmother, this novel explores three generations beginning with Mazelle Washington’s life as a young actress. Fifty years after Mazelle’s death, Johnny will discover the secret she’s kept and nurtured since she was a child when she had a dark wish come true.
There’s a monster in the woods outside her mountain retreat, Mazywood, and it is lonely and angry.
512 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication September 22, 2026
14 people are currently reading
1639 people want to read
About the author
Tananarive Due
115 books6,720 followersTANANARIVE DUE (tah-nah-nah-REEVE doo) is the award-winning author of The Wishing Pool & Other Stories and the upcoming The Reformatory ("A masterpiece"--Library Journal). She and her husband, Steven Barnes, co-wrote the Black Horror graphic novel The Keeper, illustrated by Marco Finnegan. Due and Barnes co-host a podcast, "Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!"
A leading voice in Black speculative fiction for more than 20 years, Due has won an American Book Award, an NAACP Image Award, and a British Fantasy Award, and her writing has been included in best-of-the-year anthologies. Her books include Ghost Summer: Stories, My Soul to Keep, and The Good House. She and her late mother, civil rights activist Patricia Stephens Due, co-authored Freedom in the Family: A Mother-Daughter Memoir of the Fight for Civil Rights. She and her husband live with their son, Jason.
A leading voice in Black speculative fiction for more than 20 years, Due has won an American Book Award, an NAACP Image Award, and a British Fantasy Award, and her writing has been included in best-of-the-year anthologies. Her books include Ghost Summer: Stories, My Soul to Keep, and The Good House. She and her late mother, civil rights activist Patricia Stephens Due, co-authored Freedom in the Family: A Mother-Daughter Memoir of the Fight for Civil Rights. She and her husband live with their son, Jason.
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March 18, 2026OMG! Finally! The cover! I cannot wait for this read!
Tananarive has been busy. It's been nearly 3 years since the publication of the awesome 5 star read, The Reformatory. September is still 6 months away, but it's coming! 🎞️📽🎞️
Tananarive has been busy. It's been nearly 3 years since the publication of the awesome 5 star read, The Reformatory. September is still 6 months away, but it's coming! 🎞️📽🎞️
April 29, 2026
I couldn’t put this one down. An intense blend of horror and emotional storytelling. This follows Johnny and his family as they return to his Aunt Mazelle’s secluded ski resort. Unbeknownst to him the land holds a dark secret that could destroy his family. An eerie tale reminiscent of The Shining and The Hellbound Heart. The unpredictability keeps the pacing steady and the anxiety high. I was stressed for them the ENTIRE time.
Layered beneath the horror is a thoughtful exploration of Black Hollywood, generational struggle, and mental health. The use of time jumps and flashbacks adds depth revealing trauma that shapes the family’s present.
Layered beneath the horror is a thoughtful exploration of Black Hollywood, generational struggle, and mental health. The use of time jumps and flashbacks adds depth revealing trauma that shapes the family’s present.
May 4, 2026
One of the takeaways from this book is that wishes try to trick you. If you are not as careful and precise as possible, there could be repercussions for generations.
Mazelle Washington comes from a family who made their living as traveling entertainers until the struggles of traveling as Black performers led them to quit. They are struggling until a wish brings Scout the Wonder Dog into Mazelle’s life. She is the only one Scout will obey is Mazelle and together they star in a series of films similar to The Little Rascals called “Lil’ Gumshoes.” Scout appears to be able to read Mazelle’s thoughts and they share emotions; Scout is angry or sad when Mazelle displays the same emotions.
Hollywood is not as glamorous on the inside as it is from outside. Days on the set are long, sometimes boring, and difficult. The overt racist tone of the scripts that Mazelle is given make her angry but the money pays for her family to have a much nicer life in California than they ever had back in Florida. She meets and becomes friends with celebrities like Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable, Lena Horne, Sammy Davis Jr, and Diahann Carroll. As she ages out for childhood, roles become scarce. She becomes an extra on Gone With The Wind as a freed slave but leaves with a friendship with Hattie McDaniel. Her career fades out after a series of slapstick comedies in which she plays a maid called “Lazy Mazy.”
Her grandson, Jonny Washington, is a director best known for a series of slashers. In some ways, he is still battling the racism his grandmother faced in Hollywood. After his script for an erotic supernatural thriller is rejected, he and his wife, Tasha, decide to take their two daughters to his grandmother’s lodge, Bear Creek Lodge. Jonny’s memories of the place are terrible as he remembers his grandmother as an ill tempered, abusive woman. However, there is a ski run and his daughters, Imani and Sharise, are snowboarders. Tasha, Jonny’s wife and a professor of African American Studies, wants to use the trip to tell the girls that she is pregnant. Johnny is haunted by his last trip to the lodge during which he saw a mysterious creature in the snow. The terrible secrets his grandmother kept and their consequences for Johnny’s family will be revealed during this trip back to her lodge.
Due (The Wishing Pool and Other Stories) uses dark foreshadowing in the book through dreams, nightmares and characters having premonitions or hearing an inner voice tell them that something bad is to happen. One idea repeated in the text is that bad luck always follows good luck. The narrative shifts between character and between the present and Mazelle’s early life through her career. Wishes, even those made innocently and with good intentions, can turn into a terrible inheritance, causing ripples across generations. That inheritance includes the strength that Mazelle had to survive the racism of early Hollywood resonates in Johnny’s daughters. Mazywood is part of a recent trend of horror books which channel a deep, female rage. There both strength and terror in shared family knowledge and inheritance. Is every legacy worth fighting for?
While the book is terrifying as a folk horror book, much of the horror comes from the legacy of American anti-Black racism that Mazelle fought in it’s most ugly and open state but which her grandson and his family still fight. The terror that made Mazelle who she was come from decades of fighting both racism and sexism. The characters in the book are complex and will have readers developing similarly complex feelings, understanding terrible choices even as they know there will be dreadful consequences. As in The Reformatory, Due has again used American history as a framework for developing both a genuinely haunting novel as well as showing that the terrors of the past are not so far away. We have all inherited their legacy.
Recommended for fans of Andy Davidson’s The Hollow Kind as well as Due’s other works, especially The Wishing Pool and Other Stories.
Mazelle Washington comes from a family who made their living as traveling entertainers until the struggles of traveling as Black performers led them to quit. They are struggling until a wish brings Scout the Wonder Dog into Mazelle’s life. She is the only one Scout will obey is Mazelle and together they star in a series of films similar to The Little Rascals called “Lil’ Gumshoes.” Scout appears to be able to read Mazelle’s thoughts and they share emotions; Scout is angry or sad when Mazelle displays the same emotions.
Hollywood is not as glamorous on the inside as it is from outside. Days on the set are long, sometimes boring, and difficult. The overt racist tone of the scripts that Mazelle is given make her angry but the money pays for her family to have a much nicer life in California than they ever had back in Florida. She meets and becomes friends with celebrities like Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable, Lena Horne, Sammy Davis Jr, and Diahann Carroll. As she ages out for childhood, roles become scarce. She becomes an extra on Gone With The Wind as a freed slave but leaves with a friendship with Hattie McDaniel. Her career fades out after a series of slapstick comedies in which she plays a maid called “Lazy Mazy.”
Her grandson, Jonny Washington, is a director best known for a series of slashers. In some ways, he is still battling the racism his grandmother faced in Hollywood. After his script for an erotic supernatural thriller is rejected, he and his wife, Tasha, decide to take their two daughters to his grandmother’s lodge, Bear Creek Lodge. Jonny’s memories of the place are terrible as he remembers his grandmother as an ill tempered, abusive woman. However, there is a ski run and his daughters, Imani and Sharise, are snowboarders. Tasha, Jonny’s wife and a professor of African American Studies, wants to use the trip to tell the girls that she is pregnant. Johnny is haunted by his last trip to the lodge during which he saw a mysterious creature in the snow. The terrible secrets his grandmother kept and their consequences for Johnny’s family will be revealed during this trip back to her lodge.
Due (The Wishing Pool and Other Stories) uses dark foreshadowing in the book through dreams, nightmares and characters having premonitions or hearing an inner voice tell them that something bad is to happen. One idea repeated in the text is that bad luck always follows good luck. The narrative shifts between character and between the present and Mazelle’s early life through her career. Wishes, even those made innocently and with good intentions, can turn into a terrible inheritance, causing ripples across generations. That inheritance includes the strength that Mazelle had to survive the racism of early Hollywood resonates in Johnny’s daughters. Mazywood is part of a recent trend of horror books which channel a deep, female rage. There both strength and terror in shared family knowledge and inheritance. Is every legacy worth fighting for?
While the book is terrifying as a folk horror book, much of the horror comes from the legacy of American anti-Black racism that Mazelle fought in it’s most ugly and open state but which her grandson and his family still fight. The terror that made Mazelle who she was come from decades of fighting both racism and sexism. The characters in the book are complex and will have readers developing similarly complex feelings, understanding terrible choices even as they know there will be dreadful consequences. As in The Reformatory, Due has again used American history as a framework for developing both a genuinely haunting novel as well as showing that the terrors of the past are not so far away. We have all inherited their legacy.
Recommended for fans of Andy Davidson’s The Hollow Kind as well as Due’s other works, especially The Wishing Pool and Other Stories.
May 10, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the ARC in exchange for a review.
I was thrilled to get an ARC for Mazywood after reading The ReformatoryThe Reformatory and it being my first 5 star read of the year. Mazywood brings readers, albeit temporarily, back to Gracetown Florida, this time starting in 1926 and bridging across decades as we follow both Mazelle Washington and her miraculous companion Scout the Wonder Dog as she navigates the rises and pitfalls of Hollywood. We also get to know Johnny, her grandson and his family. Johnny had a rocky relationship with his grandmother, and his family convinces him to finally bring them to Mazelle's resort in the Shasta Mountains, coined Mazywood. But why has Johnny kept his family away from the resort so long? Were the things he saw there as a child real, or just a figment of his imagination? Mazelle made a wish back in Gracetown as a child, but was it granted, or was she left with a generational curse?
Mazywood, similar to The Reformatory, once again blends historical fiction with the paranormal. This novel leans more towards the paranormal than The Reformatory did, but it still beautifully illustrates the difficult experiences of Black Americans in the past, this time focusing on Black Hollywood. There are a lot of real actors in this story and while I admit I did not know most of them, I was happy to learn more about them! Once again, I felt that the true horror came from the abhorrent racism in the book and the real monster was humanity, but I won't say more than that in the effort to avoid spoilers.
As always, Due is truly a master in her craft at breathing life into her characters. I loved watching Mazelle grow up and change as her life experiences shaped her. As someone who is neurodivergent, I also really connected with one of Johnny's daughters, Imani. However, my only reservation with how Imani was portrayed is that she is described as being "on the spectrum," which I assume to mean autistic, and more than once is described as having tantrums. While this is something most people probably wouldn't pick up on, an autistic meltdown is very different than a tantrum. To me, a tantrum carries a negative connotation, with many people associating it with something younger children do, often to manipulate or gain something they want. However, the correct term when it comes to autism is a meltdown, which is not voluntary and is a temporary loss of control of emotions and/or behavior. With that said, the rest of Imani's neurodivergence is well portrayed and I do appreciate the representation.
While I didn't connect with Mazywood with the same depth as I did The Reformatory, I still heavily enjoyed it and it is absolutely a book I will be recommending. It illustrates important parts of history that we shouldn't forget anytime soon, including the working conditions and portrayals of Black Americans in the early to mid 20th century.
This last part is a spoiler so look at your own risk. It's a big spoiler about Scout:
I was thrilled to get an ARC for Mazywood after reading The ReformatoryThe Reformatory and it being my first 5 star read of the year. Mazywood brings readers, albeit temporarily, back to Gracetown Florida, this time starting in 1926 and bridging across decades as we follow both Mazelle Washington and her miraculous companion Scout the Wonder Dog as she navigates the rises and pitfalls of Hollywood. We also get to know Johnny, her grandson and his family. Johnny had a rocky relationship with his grandmother, and his family convinces him to finally bring them to Mazelle's resort in the Shasta Mountains, coined Mazywood. But why has Johnny kept his family away from the resort so long? Were the things he saw there as a child real, or just a figment of his imagination? Mazelle made a wish back in Gracetown as a child, but was it granted, or was she left with a generational curse?
Mazywood, similar to The Reformatory, once again blends historical fiction with the paranormal. This novel leans more towards the paranormal than The Reformatory did, but it still beautifully illustrates the difficult experiences of Black Americans in the past, this time focusing on Black Hollywood. There are a lot of real actors in this story and while I admit I did not know most of them, I was happy to learn more about them! Once again, I felt that the true horror came from the abhorrent racism in the book and the real monster was humanity, but I won't say more than that in the effort to avoid spoilers.
As always, Due is truly a master in her craft at breathing life into her characters. I loved watching Mazelle grow up and change as her life experiences shaped her. As someone who is neurodivergent, I also really connected with one of Johnny's daughters, Imani. However, my only reservation with how Imani was portrayed is that she is described as being "on the spectrum," which I assume to mean autistic, and more than once is described as having tantrums. While this is something most people probably wouldn't pick up on, an autistic meltdown is very different than a tantrum. To me, a tantrum carries a negative connotation, with many people associating it with something younger children do, often to manipulate or gain something they want. However, the correct term when it comes to autism is a meltdown, which is not voluntary and is a temporary loss of control of emotions and/or behavior. With that said, the rest of Imani's neurodivergence is well portrayed and I do appreciate the representation.
While I didn't connect with Mazywood with the same depth as I did The Reformatory, I still heavily enjoyed it and it is absolutely a book I will be recommending. It illustrates important parts of history that we shouldn't forget anytime soon, including the working conditions and portrayals of Black Americans in the early to mid 20th century.
This last part is a spoiler so look at your own risk. It's a big spoiler about Scout:
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Some books fit neatly into a genre.
Mazywood refuses.
This is the kind of story that beautifully blurs boundaries; braiding historical fiction, horror, family saga, and something deeply human into a novel that feels wholly original.
It’s haunting, heart-wrenching, and layered with the kind of emotional depth that settles into your bones.
What Tananarive Due does so masterfully and absolutely on once again is her ability to write characters that don’t simply live on the page… is they linger. They simmer. They wound you. They resonate long after you’ve finished reading. They feel painfully real. The kind of people you know, the kind of people you love, the kind of people you struggle to forgive, and the kind of people you can never fully forget.
At its core, Mazywood is about family. The beautiful, bruised, complicated kind. Generational closeness. Generational pain. The quiet sacrifices made in love. The impossible weight of protection, unconditional support, and what it means to carry people even when carrying them hurts. The relationships here are raw and complex.
And then there’s the world-building.
The old Hollywood thread adds such richness; glamour shadowed by performance, mythmaking, and the painful distance between who someone is and who the world believes them to be. Through Mazy and Mayzelle Washington, we’re allowed to explore both persona and personhood in a way that feels textured, tragic, and beautifully rendered.
The setting itself becomes a character, particularly the Mount Shasta imagery, which is so vivid and precise you can feel the chill of the caverns in your bones. Mount Shasta becomes more than backdrop, it becomes atmosphere, tension, and myth.
And as always, Tananarive Due never looks away from uncomfortable truths. She writes them plainly, powerfully, and with remarkable honesty, challenging the reader while trusting them enough to sit in that discomfort.
That’s what makes her work extraordinary.
She doesn’t simply tell stories.
She excavates truths.
And with Mazywood, she has absolutely done it again. Some books entertain you. Some unsettle you. Some break your heart a little. The rare ones do all three and stay with you. Mazywood is one of those books.
Thank you NetGalley and Saga Press for the opportunity and the ARC.
Mazywood refuses.
This is the kind of story that beautifully blurs boundaries; braiding historical fiction, horror, family saga, and something deeply human into a novel that feels wholly original.
It’s haunting, heart-wrenching, and layered with the kind of emotional depth that settles into your bones.
What Tananarive Due does so masterfully and absolutely on once again is her ability to write characters that don’t simply live on the page… is they linger. They simmer. They wound you. They resonate long after you’ve finished reading. They feel painfully real. The kind of people you know, the kind of people you love, the kind of people you struggle to forgive, and the kind of people you can never fully forget.
At its core, Mazywood is about family. The beautiful, bruised, complicated kind. Generational closeness. Generational pain. The quiet sacrifices made in love. The impossible weight of protection, unconditional support, and what it means to carry people even when carrying them hurts. The relationships here are raw and complex.
And then there’s the world-building.
The old Hollywood thread adds such richness; glamour shadowed by performance, mythmaking, and the painful distance between who someone is and who the world believes them to be. Through Mazy and Mayzelle Washington, we’re allowed to explore both persona and personhood in a way that feels textured, tragic, and beautifully rendered.
The setting itself becomes a character, particularly the Mount Shasta imagery, which is so vivid and precise you can feel the chill of the caverns in your bones. Mount Shasta becomes more than backdrop, it becomes atmosphere, tension, and myth.
And as always, Tananarive Due never looks away from uncomfortable truths. She writes them plainly, powerfully, and with remarkable honesty, challenging the reader while trusting them enough to sit in that discomfort.
That’s what makes her work extraordinary.
She doesn’t simply tell stories.
She excavates truths.
And with Mazywood, she has absolutely done it again. Some books entertain you. Some unsettle you. Some break your heart a little. The rare ones do all three and stay with you. Mazywood is one of those books.
Thank you NetGalley and Saga Press for the opportunity and the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Mazelle Washington's career was built on stereotypes. Though a talented actress who had made the transition from silent pictures to talkies as a child, much of her adulthood was spent playing 'Lazy Mazy', a comedic maid character. Mazelle constructs a ski lodge near Mount Shasta as a getaway from the Hollywood lifestyle. In the year 2026, Mazelle's grandson, Johnny, brings his wife and teenage daughters to the lodge. While the lack of internet and faulty electricity cause the family some discomfort, it's nothing compared to what lives in the woods around the cabin. Some of Mazelle's costars miss her dearly.
This was my first time reading Tananarive Due, and wow! 'Mazywood' is a long book, but not a detail is out of place or extraneous. It's a tapestry of complicated familial relationships, classic Hollywood studio deals and deceptions, and the horror of surviving in the wilderness when you’re up to your knees in snow. Due did her research for the Golden Age of Hollywood, and none of the cameos of actors or directors feel like fan service. Not only that, but the fictional studios and directors blend in well enough with the historic happenings. I’m always happy to see a Charlie Chaplin cameo, but the scene with Sammy Davis Jr. was probably my favorite.
‘Mazywood’s biggest strength is its characters. Each generation of the Washington family feels realistic and nuanced, even the members who we only meet post-mortem. Johnny’s immediate family gets a special mention, though–Imari and Sharise had a great sister dynamic, and I enjoyed how Imari was depicted as neurodivergent without being written as being annoying or having ‘magical autism powers’. As always, though, I relate to the apprehensive and overly-cautious eldest daughter, so a lot of things Sharise did had me saying ‘Oh, I’d do that, too’. And Scout! If we gave out awards to dogs in books, he’d deserve one. Mazelle is the star, though, and is equal parts sympathetic and intimidating as someone who causes so much horror yet desperately needs a break.
‘Mazywood’ is a dazzling book, and a stunning adventure from start to finish.
This was my first time reading Tananarive Due, and wow! 'Mazywood' is a long book, but not a detail is out of place or extraneous. It's a tapestry of complicated familial relationships, classic Hollywood studio deals and deceptions, and the horror of surviving in the wilderness when you’re up to your knees in snow. Due did her research for the Golden Age of Hollywood, and none of the cameos of actors or directors feel like fan service. Not only that, but the fictional studios and directors blend in well enough with the historic happenings. I’m always happy to see a Charlie Chaplin cameo, but the scene with Sammy Davis Jr. was probably my favorite.
‘Mazywood’s biggest strength is its characters. Each generation of the Washington family feels realistic and nuanced, even the members who we only meet post-mortem. Johnny’s immediate family gets a special mention, though–Imari and Sharise had a great sister dynamic, and I enjoyed how Imari was depicted as neurodivergent without being written as being annoying or having ‘magical autism powers’. As always, though, I relate to the apprehensive and overly-cautious eldest daughter, so a lot of things Sharise did had me saying ‘Oh, I’d do that, too’. And Scout! If we gave out awards to dogs in books, he’d deserve one. Mazelle is the star, though, and is equal parts sympathetic and intimidating as someone who causes so much horror yet desperately needs a break.
‘Mazywood’ is a dazzling book, and a stunning adventure from start to finish.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If you like your horror layered with historical Hollywood, trauma and just enough magic to feel dangerous, Mazywood by Tananarive Due is going to mess you up in the best way.
This is not a quick read. It’s big, generational, and moves back and forth through time, but it never feels wasted. We start with young (Mazelle) Mazy making a wish at the Wishing Pool (world building) that should have been left alone, and from there everything just keeps unfolding.
Mazy’s story in old Hollywood is one of my favorite parts. She’s this talented Black girl trying to survive in spaces that were never meant for her but should have been, brushing up against names like Sammy Davis Jr., Lucille Ball, Hattie McDaniel, Lena Horne, and Groucho Marx, but still having to fight for every inch of respect. That anger and hurt never really leave. It grows into something else.
Then you get Mazywood, the mountain retreat she creates as a safe place during segregation. A place for her and her friends when hotels wouldn’t take them.
When we get to Johnny, her grandson, I was locked in. He’s a horror movie writer and director, which makes everything hit a little harder. He brings his family, Tasha, Imani, and Sharise, to stay at Mazywood after fixing it up, and from the second they get there you can feel it. Something is off. Something is waiting.
There’s generational trauma running through all of this, and you feel it in every timeline.
I got really attached to this family, which made the horror land even harder. There’s a moment in this book where my heart genuinely felt like it stopped. That’s the kind of tension Tananarive Due builds. She makes you fall in love through her words.
Also the horror references were so good. The mention of The Shining had me smiling, and when Candyman came up I had that full fan moment. It fits the story and never feels forced.
I flew through this even though it’s long because I needed to know how it ended. It’s emotional, tense, and haunting.
This is not a quick read. It’s big, generational, and moves back and forth through time, but it never feels wasted. We start with young (Mazelle) Mazy making a wish at the Wishing Pool (world building) that should have been left alone, and from there everything just keeps unfolding.
Mazy’s story in old Hollywood is one of my favorite parts. She’s this talented Black girl trying to survive in spaces that were never meant for her but should have been, brushing up against names like Sammy Davis Jr., Lucille Ball, Hattie McDaniel, Lena Horne, and Groucho Marx, but still having to fight for every inch of respect. That anger and hurt never really leave. It grows into something else.
Then you get Mazywood, the mountain retreat she creates as a safe place during segregation. A place for her and her friends when hotels wouldn’t take them.
When we get to Johnny, her grandson, I was locked in. He’s a horror movie writer and director, which makes everything hit a little harder. He brings his family, Tasha, Imani, and Sharise, to stay at Mazywood after fixing it up, and from the second they get there you can feel it. Something is off. Something is waiting.
There’s generational trauma running through all of this, and you feel it in every timeline.
I got really attached to this family, which made the horror land even harder. There’s a moment in this book where my heart genuinely felt like it stopped. That’s the kind of tension Tananarive Due builds. She makes you fall in love through her words.
Also the horror references were so good. The mention of The Shining had me smiling, and when Candyman came up I had that full fan moment. It fits the story and never feels forced.
I flew through this even though it’s long because I needed to know how it ended. It’s emotional, tense, and haunting.
April 30, 2026
Tananarive Due has done it again! Her new novel Mazywood is absolutely fantastic!
My summary:
It all started with a wish in a wishing well.
An intricately woven tale of a grandmother’s life and legacy and her grandchildren’s discovery of what all that legacy entailed.
My overall thoughts:
Utterly unique and original. This story took me on an epic journey and I am so glad to have read it! Equal parts historical fiction, on the struggles of being a Black actress in Old Hollywood, and horror centering on a creature lurking near her isolated ski lodge in the woods. These two stories weave together to create a fascinating saga filled with Hollywood cameos, heart pounding action, and an unsettling look into racism during the golden age of film. Somehow two entirely different tones coexisted together and eventually merged to create one multifaceted read. It’s hard to describe to be honest but trust me it’s masterfully done.
If you appreciate historical horror this is an absolute MUST read.
My rating: 4.75 ⭐️
Release Date: September 22nd
What I loved:
- The glimpse into Old Hollywood! I’m not a film buff so I’m sure some of the name drops and accuracy went over my head, but I loved learning more about this time. This novel was filled with important Black actresses and actors and the struggles they faced. It felt like a window into a time I will never be able to fully grasp and yet I now have a deeper appreciation for.
- The characters! I found myself caring about each of them and even getting emotional at times. So layered and fleshed out and complex.
- The atmosphere! My word was the atmosphere in this novel absolutely stellar! If you can make me FEEL it too then you know it’s well done and boy did I feel it. The crunch of the snow, the swish of the snowboard . . . the dread. 👀
Thank you to Saga Press for the advanced copy. I was blown away by this absolutely fantastic novel! All thoughts and opinions are my own and this is my voluntary review.
My summary:
It all started with a wish in a wishing well.
An intricately woven tale of a grandmother’s life and legacy and her grandchildren’s discovery of what all that legacy entailed.
My overall thoughts:
Utterly unique and original. This story took me on an epic journey and I am so glad to have read it! Equal parts historical fiction, on the struggles of being a Black actress in Old Hollywood, and horror centering on a creature lurking near her isolated ski lodge in the woods. These two stories weave together to create a fascinating saga filled with Hollywood cameos, heart pounding action, and an unsettling look into racism during the golden age of film. Somehow two entirely different tones coexisted together and eventually merged to create one multifaceted read. It’s hard to describe to be honest but trust me it’s masterfully done.
If you appreciate historical horror this is an absolute MUST read.
My rating: 4.75 ⭐️
Release Date: September 22nd
What I loved:
- The glimpse into Old Hollywood! I’m not a film buff so I’m sure some of the name drops and accuracy went over my head, but I loved learning more about this time. This novel was filled with important Black actresses and actors and the struggles they faced. It felt like a window into a time I will never be able to fully grasp and yet I now have a deeper appreciation for.
- The characters! I found myself caring about each of them and even getting emotional at times. So layered and fleshed out and complex.
- The atmosphere! My word was the atmosphere in this novel absolutely stellar! If you can make me FEEL it too then you know it’s well done and boy did I feel it. The crunch of the snow, the swish of the snowboard . . . the dread. 👀
Thank you to Saga Press for the advanced copy. I was blown away by this absolutely fantastic novel! All thoughts and opinions are my own and this is my voluntary review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Mazelle Washington, Lazy Mazy, a woman who thrived in Hollywood after she was first twisted into a caricature. To avoid the eyes of Hollywood, Mazy retires to her secluded ski lodge, and this place is still standing in 2026 when descendant Johnny takes his family there. Aware of his grandmothers' history, Johnny's teenage daughters are now feeling curiosity about their inherited Hollywood legacy. Due beautifully weaves black Old Hollywood glamour alongside civil unrest, showing she did her due diligence in research in this period of history. I love that this author doesn't shy away from any topic, and I love how every person who has ever felt marginalized or alienated could feel celebrated here. I especially adored Sharise, but loved how how no supporting character got left out when it came to fully fleshing out their personality and backgrounds. Due's horror novels are so frightful yet beautiful labors of love and I adore them. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Saga Press for the eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First of all, thank you to Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, for the free e-copy of Mazywood by Tananarive Due for review. After loving The Reformatory, I was highly anticipating what Due would write next. I have to say with its deft blend of historical fiction, literary fiction, and horror, Mazywood does deliver the goods in spades. The novel deals with Mazelle Washington, a young actress from the 20s, and how the trauma she dealt with infected the generations that came after her. Her grandson Johnny and his family, when visiting her old cabin, then have to endure repercussions from decisions and secrets she kept there. I loved the characters from Mazelle to Johnny and his family; they were really well written with complicated layers to them that kept me engaged. The plot traveled different timelines but never got messy, and the ending was fitting, which makes this one of my favorite reads of the year. If you love historical and literary fiction with a horror twist, check out Mazywood.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Absolutely amazing!
Want to Read
April 23, 2026I think I've finally emotionally recovered from The Reformatory and I'm ready for another Tananarive Due masterpiece.
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