The Slow Unpeeling: A Splatterpunk Body Horror Novella

by K D Davies

Jacob feels invisible and undesirable.
All he wanted was to settle down and instead he finds himself stuck.
Unhappy with where he's at he takes drastic action.
This is a full frontal, splatterpunk body horror.

42 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 29, 2026

Reviews

[Peter Topside · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I think that Jacob here and my lead, Chuck, from Last Meal would have much to discuss. This was really gory and will appease fans of body horror to the utmost degree. Now, having a history of self harm and knowing the mindset that put me into that funk for many years, I appreciated the plot points introduced by the author. Blaming yourself for everything and taking all your anger, frustration, and depression out on your body. It’s what I said, how I look, how I acted….me, me, me. Because it allows you to feel like you’re in control when, in reality, you’re not. Again, loved the depth here and it was orchestrated in a way to be accurate while still a bit theatrical, too. My main critiques here are focused around the brevity, quick pacing, and lack of established POV at several points. Nothing that took away from the experience, but, with some tweaks to all those aforementioned points, it would have taken this from good to great. Still enjoyable for any brand of gorehounds.

[Claudia Rambles · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know that feeling when you’re not comfortable in your own skin? That’s how Jacob feels. After noticing his body changing, he decides to deal with it… layer by layer.

The Slow Unpeeling is the story of a man with a rough past, as in an unhappy childhood, a failed relationship, and now the creeping realisation that he’s getting older, something he hasn’t yet come to terms with. So Jacob decides to take control of his life, starting with his body.

This book will make your skin crawl, and as the main character lets his intrusive thoughts take over, he becomes increasingly numb, delivering visceral and graphic scenes, but yet in some twisted way, mesmerising.
It also explores themes like mental health, loneliness, self esteem, and desperation, all wrapped up in a really emotional story with some intense body horror.

All of this in just 42 pages that will stick in your head for a long time.
…or just leave you staring at the wall.

Either way, KD did a phenomenal job!

This review and more here:
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[Madeleine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great body horror and commentary on what low-self esteem/insecurities/trauma can do to you! I just wish it would've pushed it a little further, but I loved the very ending, it took a turn I did not expect!

[Cody Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

S tier body horror and a short but meaningful story

This one definitely resonates with me as a former cutter, this truly is how I felt at times when my depression was very bad, how you feel you can be different but this is the only way. This was fantastic and there's nothing I love more than a short what the fuck read. Self mutilation in extreme horror/ splatterpunk is something i always look for and read because it reminds me alot of my struggles and how I overcame them but let's be honest, it never goes away but we can always try to be the best versions of ourselves. It's not easy as just "oh dont do that" its not like that at all. It's hard, its a daily struggle and when you have other things going on along with it then its room for more problems. KD Davies Author delivered a fantastic, gorey and sad novella with this one. The ending was a unexpected also in my honest opinion. This gets a 5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ its brutal but has meaning, its a fantastic read.

[Toni L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wildly unsettling and visceral with a load of emotional trauma

[Dani-Lynn Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓮
🌶️ - 𝓼𝓹𝓲𝓬𝓮
🔥🔥🔥 - 𝓹𝓵𝓸𝓽
🩸🩸🩸 - 𝓰𝓸𝓻𝓮

🖤 𝓶𝓪𝓲𝓷 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼🖤
Jacob & Claire

🖤 𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼🖤
📕overgrown body hair
📕filth-covered living spaces
📕grotesque descriptions
📕potato peeler
📕excessive gore

🖤 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀🖤
I was reading this and started to feel the pain Jacob was causing himself while repeatedly trying to make himself more presentable. It’s a book with a lot of symbolism around depression, using his lifestyle as a metaphor for the overwhelming flood of melancholy. This book goes from zero to a hundred real quick once he discovers his body hair so be prepared for the sickening details Davies puts the readers through. This is body horror for the ones that have strong stomachs.

*spoilers*

Jacob lives alone in his solitude of filth after his girlfriend of three years drops him after deciding she wasn’t ready for the commitment. The thing he longed most. Having a family of his own. Now, he stays in a disgusting household of rot with his dog, Buddy.

Feeling revolted on his appearance and smell, often repeating that it was his downfall that pushed her away. You can really hear the remorse in his thoughts about wha he could have, or should have done in order for her to have stayed. The emotional heartache made him become the person he didn’t want to become. His parents. See, they were atrocious to him growing up. Always strung out on drugs while he starved. The school offered him free dinners but the kids would make jokes at him over it.

But back to the body hair. See, every time he attempts to shave the hair, it grows back quicker and leaves bloody welts on his skin that pulsate with agony. But he continues to try to clear his body in order to like himself again. To make it possible for him to still get the dream he’s always wanted of a family of his own. And when his trusted electric shaver breaks down, he turns towards a potato peeler to help rid himself of the vastly growing hair. But it doesn’t stop there with the endless self-torture… it gets undoubtedly worse.

This book is like that scene from Martyrs (2008), if the main character skinned herself alive. It’s unnerving. Deeply disturbing. With a climactic scene you can’t peel your eyes away from. It’s 40 pages of utter chaos with an ending so bizarrely bleak, you won’t feel it coming. As my first read from Davies, it definitely won’t be my last. Satisfyingly good on the gore department.

[Mike Shockley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first body dysmorphia novella I have ever read and it didn’t disappoint with gore and grossness!

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was wild. Just his sheer willpower to power through doing this to himself was insane. And definitely earned this book an extra star.

I also loved the ending and with the doggo. 🥰
3.5-3.8

[lolly Storm sparrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this filth... KD Davies Author... Are you okay? 🤢🫣😂
Jacob splits with his partner Claire.
He had a future planned, with that smashed to smithereens Jacob starts to fall apart, emotionally, physically and somewhat literally!
He starts to sculpt himself into a better version of himself, whilst his faithful companion Buddy the Golden retriever looks on.
It's difficult to say too much without ruining parts, what I will say is this was fan'fucking'tastic!
#booktok #book #horror #splatterpunk

[Madame Strange · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The Slow Unpeeling” - Fleetwood Mac song references in novels are my fave.

★★★☆☆

This was my second novel by K.D. Davies and I can safely say she really has found her “own way“ (see what I did there) to tell creepy stories.
If I ever feel old again, I’ll think of this story to remind myself that there is really bad ways to handle a midlife crisis. Short, Sad, Sick and with a nice twist this one will get under your skin!

[Summer Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hit me hard. The way I read it, I felt like this was a book written to describe how body dysmorphia feels to the person experiencing it. This book was wild and gory. It was well-written, and it was a wild ride! I loved Jacob! My heart broke for him as he had to experience the post-breakup grief! He deserved so much better. I adored his dog, but felt awful for the life it had to live! If you're looking for a book that hits many topics like body image, grief, and a little bit of hoarding, this is the book for you! It is extremely violent and gory, but if that's not a problem for you, pick this one up!

[Jess Beedle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read from KD Davies and oh my god!! How gruesome! But so captivating!! I read in one sitting because I couldn’t stop!! Written very well and super gut wrenching. And the dog!!! Oh my god the dog!!!
The gore level didn’t hold back on this one and I loved it! The gorier the better!!
Epic book. Would recommend!!

[Tony Watts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliantly visceral and lovely little book to pass the time.

[Tina Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a disgusting book. Absolutely sickening.
Loved it! Felt like I was there 1st hand witnessing it.
If you need a quick read that will make you sick to your stomach then this is the one for you!

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty nasty haha but I thought it was well written. Ill probably read more of her work. For being such a short read im suprised how much i liked the writing.

[SeveredTherapy · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, the qualifier of "slow" in the title is a bit of a misnomer. However, that should have been evident from the book's length. Regardless, this one starts out strong and doesnt let up, becoming progressively more disgusting as it continues. The ending actually had me a little misty, which is surprising for a book like this.

4.25 out of 5 severed thumbs-up.

[Rayven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well that took a turn

Love the authors short stories, this was creepy and gross but the end was very funny! Poor Jacob being so consumed by a broken heart his life was in ruins well he did leave a mark 🤣

[Shelley Tabberner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic short read

This is a great short horror read had me gripped and sickened from the second chapter and did not expect that ending. Highly recommend this book and the amazing author.

[J. Tarmac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jacob's world is about to unravel... just as quickly as his body.

You know that feeling when you accidentally catch your finger while peeling carrots or spuds, that sickening chill through your spine, the bubble of nausea? Well, The Slow Unpeeling is like an entire homage to that sensation, as it hits you with it in the most unsettling way possible throughout its very short page count. Dealing with subjects such as depression, loneliness, and heartbreak, this mini extreme horror novella quickly does exactly what it says on the tin, delving into a twisted world of self-destruction and peeled flesh. There's a great dynamic in this book, one that reminded me a bit of Klaus Kinion's Eternal Flower... where our main character, Jacob, undergoes a psychological (and then very physical) process of self-improvement through the most disturbing methods possible. The atmosphere this book builds, situated in Jacob's crowded, eventually skin-filled home, works to great effect, creating a grisly scene for a surprise character to make an appearance later in the book!

Overall, this is a very well executed mini-horror that packs a punch, splatter, and a good helping of skin-crawling sickness. Great stuff!

[RoseDevoursBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a nasty little novella - and I mean that as the highest compliment. I was craving a quick splatterpunk/body horror fix, and Davies absolutely delivered, complete with blood, flesh, and an alarming amount of body hair 😆

The story follows Jacob, an aging man haunted by a traumatic childhood and the loss of the love of his life after their lifestyles no longer aligned. Left alone with only his dog, Buddy, for company, we witness his slow unraveling… or rather, “slow unpeeling” (you’ll understand once you read it) 👀.

I was honestly impressed by how much Davies packed into such a short novella. There’s sympathy for Jacob, horror at what he’s experiencing, disgust at the grotesque imagery, and even frustration that poor Buddy has to witness it all. My only small complaint is that I almost wanted the gore pushed even further - more detail, more physical pain, just to make the body horror feel even more visceral. But maybe that just says more about me than the book…I may just need therapy instead of more splatterpunk 🤣

But overall, I had a great time with this one. The ending was especially interesting and feels like it could leave room for future stories. If you’re in the mood for a quick, gross, body horror read, I’d definitely recommend checking this one out. I’m excited to read more by this awesome new-to-me author!

[Yvonne (the putrid Shelf) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Slow Unpeeling by K.D. Davies is exactly what splatterpunk should be, visceral, confrontational, and uncomfortably intimate. This isn’t just body horror for shock value; it lingers, it presses, it gets under your skin and refuses to leave.

Jacob is a protagonist you don’t just observe—you feel him. His invisibility, his desperation to be wanted, to be seen, is so painfully human that when things spiral, it doesn’t feel like a descent… it feels inevitable. Davies takes that emotional rot and quite literally peels it back layer by layer, turning vulnerability into something grotesque and unforgettable.

There are heavy echoes of Clive Barker, especially that Hellraiser-style blend of pain, pleasure, and transformation, but it also carries the poetic brutality of Eric LaRocca and the unflinching extremity of Jon Athan. It’s grotesque, yes, but it’s also strangely beautiful in how it dissects desire, shame, and the need to be touched. Releasing something like this during Women in Horror Month feels perfect. It flips expectations, challenges gaze and body autonomy, and dares you to sit with discomfort rather than look away.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an introduction to K D Davies! When I saw that Davies had a new body-horror splatterpunk novella, of course, I jumped at the opportunity to read it! I was NOT disappointed!

Dear Jacob. Poor, depressed Jacob. In this story, we follow Jacob as he comes to realize that he has let himself go after the breakup with the love of his life, Clare. Here he is, in his thirties, and has nothing to show for it. He slobbishly let himself go.

As Jacob’s mental state begins to spiral out of control, Davies makes sure we have a front seat to the madness. Believing that a good shave would turn everything around, I was locked in with a huge grin!

I love a story that is pure madness and has gore for days. I devour it. There was just one thing that made me gag. Boogers. I just can’t. LOL! I absolutely loved the twist at the end, which could open the door to a whole other book! K D Davies, I can’t wait to dive into more of your books!

Thanks to K D Davies for gifting me an eARC of The Slow Unpeeling. I am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Charlene (Char) ❤︎ ❀˖° ❤︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟*^𝐤 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐈 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝!? 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫-𝐩𝐮𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐧. 𝐊𝐃 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆.𝐈𝐒.𝐎𝐅𝐅.𝐋𝐈𝐌𝐈𝐓𝐒. 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭, 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭.

Jacob, a guy in his thirties, is coming to terms with the fact that time isn’t on his side, and the daily routines he once breezed through are now a struggle. To make matters worse, he’s still reeling from a breakup with a woman he thought would be his forever. He believes that if he can just fix his body, everything else will fall into place. Join him on his slow spiral into madness. Get ready—this book isn’t for the faint of heart. Even though it’s just 42 pages long, it packs in enough gore and horror to leave a mark.

Thank you, KD, for always giving me the chance to read your ARCs. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first story by K.D. Davies and it was a nasty and fun ride!

We follow Jacob, a depressed aging man who does whatever it takes to feel young and confident again.

At a certain point in life, I think we all have that feeling where age catches up to you. As someone who is entering his mid-thirties, this story hits home a little bit, haha.

The author does an amazing job making you feel for our main character, what he is thinking and downfall of his mental state is written extremely well.

The gore is not held back here, with descriptions written in a bloody and phenomenal way. It's perfect for any Splatter fan!

It's a dark tale about mental illness that takes an extreme body horror turn along the way, with a kind of twist ending that could be considered a beautiful resolution.

Definitely give this one a read, I can't wait to check out more by Davies!

4/5

[GJO AND PUPS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the amazing author for this copy of her new release!

'Something about hitting his late forties had changed his psyche' -i feel exactly what the MC means here.

After a bad break up Jacobs life, mind and body are unravelling before him, literally. As splatterpunky as this brutal and bloody story is, it really emphasises the true horror of depression being so cruel it can lead us to despair, delusion and brutality within a blink of an eye.

'His tiredness had clouded the delusions, dulling them, allowing Jacob to think somewhat rationally for the first time in weeks.'

I pride myself on having a hardened stomach to the grotesque and marcarbe but I will never peel a potato or look at my mother's turkey knife the same again.

This short story really had my stomach turning in all the ways it should have. With a sneaky little twist at the end.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you ever hate how you look? Despise the body you're in and wish nothing more than to peel off your skin and cut away the pieces you don't like? The Slow Unpeeling describes exactly what this feels like in the most brutal way.

The Slow Unpeeling follows the slow descent into madness that our protagonist Jacob falls so very quickly into due to his insecurities.

This was a wonderful tale of body horror and self mutilation that any fan of splatterpunk would love. K. D. Davies has a wonderful way of describing scenes that instill absolute dread and disgust in a reader, especially my fellow body horror girlies!

Thank you so much to the author for an arc of The Slow Unpeeling. All opinions are my own and have been left voluntarily.

[Thebleedingspine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jacob has let himself go after a breakup and shitty family life. What lengths will he go to, to make himself feel desirable and whole again?

The emotion in this one is real, and the writing fantastic. I felt like I was there watching Jacob, wanting to reach out and stop him. We get glimpses of his past, that shows what leads him to his destructive path. There’s no shortage of descriptive body gore for all the Splatterpunk fanatics like myself.
Loved this one and thank you so much Kirsty for the arc!!

[SJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 22-page read may be short, but it hits hard. Jacob is weighed down by his life, and one choice sends him spiraling even further.

The details are disturbing, the atmosphere unsettling, and it left me with that lingering ick. If a book can get under my skin like this, it's a win.

Huge thanks to K D Davies for the ARC🖤

[Jolene · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW, What a read!! The Slow Unpeeling is raw chaos.
Jacob's loneliness festers until it twists into something wild and unsettling. What begins as quiet desperation spirals into intense, no-holds-barred horror, where the physical and emotional unraveling blur together in disturbing ways.
It's unhinged, relentless, and deeply uncomfortable and exactly what I was looking for!

[Erin Aleci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heavy hitter! Our main character Jacob is so relatable. Not liking what we see in the mirror, and sometimes the extremes to change it. Loved the bits of levity. All the gore was delicious, the creative removal methods. This was a tough but fun ride. I look forward to reading more from this author.