What do you think?
Rate this book
Tom
Brighton township has a history of people disappearing. Blame falls to a coven of witches called “The Dark Hand.”
The evil goes unseen, and the guilty bear no mark. But the Good Lord always gives the name of one to join the others at the bottom of Lake Black. For the ritualistic drowning of a witch gives the people hope ... a respite from the devilry.
After witnessing this rite for the first time, twelve-year-old Peter Walcott’s mind is filled with disturbing thoughts. The local carnival offers a welcome distraction. In a back alley there, he finds a secret show—an eccentric animal trainer with unusual talents. The experience leaves Peter feeling mesmerized and inspired. A rare bright moment in dark times.
Soon after, a strange visitor arrives at his bedroom window. A creature that looks a little different every time he sees it. Deep down, he knows he shouldn’t trust it, but it makes him think of the animals from the carnival show. So Peter builds it a house and gives it a name ... Tom.
But Tom isn’t a pet.
And Peter may soon find himself serving a new master.
Inspired by The Thing and the Salem Witch Trials, “Tom” is a standalone horror novella for fans of T. Kingfisher and Stephen King.
The evil goes unseen, and the guilty bear no mark. But the Good Lord always gives the name of one to join the others at the bottom of Lake Black. For the ritualistic drowning of a witch gives the people hope ... a respite from the devilry.
After witnessing this rite for the first time, twelve-year-old Peter Walcott’s mind is filled with disturbing thoughts. The local carnival offers a welcome distraction. In a back alley there, he finds a secret show—an eccentric animal trainer with unusual talents. The experience leaves Peter feeling mesmerized and inspired. A rare bright moment in dark times.
Soon after, a strange visitor arrives at his bedroom window. A creature that looks a little different every time he sees it. Deep down, he knows he shouldn’t trust it, but it makes him think of the animals from the carnival show. So Peter builds it a house and gives it a name ... Tom.
But Tom isn’t a pet.
And Peter may soon find himself serving a new master.
Inspired by The Thing and the Salem Witch Trials, “Tom” is a standalone horror novella for fans of T. Kingfisher and Stephen King.
- GenresHorror
110 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 31, 2026
1 person is currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
Tobias Youngblood
7 books21 followersTobias Youngblood lives in Coastal Virginia, where he grew up inspired by the likes of Stephen King, J.R.R Tolkien, Michael Crichton, and Clive Barker, to name a few.
He loves the Alien movies, the Thing, and dark mashups of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. His own work tends to blends these elements.
Tobias completed the Projectionists urban fantasy trilogy in 2025. He is now hard at work on a Nightmares series of short horror with co-author Oliver Shade, with six releases planned for 2026. Several sci-fi works loom on the horizon as well.
He loves the Alien movies, the Thing, and dark mashups of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. His own work tends to blends these elements.
Tobias completed the Projectionists urban fantasy trilogy in 2025. He is now hard at work on a Nightmares series of short horror with co-author Oliver Shade, with six releases planned for 2026. Several sci-fi works loom on the horizon as well.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 26, 2026
From the moment we meet 12 year old Peter Walcott, I knew I was going to love him. He is a pure soul, who loves nature and animals, but lives in a puritanical, narrow minded place called Brighton Township. Here, people go missing and the blame falls on a coven of witches called The Dark Hand. We first see Pete who is forced to attend the drowning of a “witch”, (which really rattled my cage 😡); one of the rituals which is enforced by the Reverend J of The True Church. This doesn’t sit well with Peter, as the guilty have no marks on them, and Reverend J, and the elders have absolutely no proof of the accused’ witchcraft. Peter struggles with the Township’s controlled belief, and begins to question everything that he’s been brainwashed to believe in, throughout his short life. Peter is quite isolated on the farmland on which he lives, just attending school a couple of times a week, while the rest is spent working on his family’s farm. He spends his time with the ghost of his dead brother Simon, and the strange squirrel like creature with human eyes, which he name’s Tom.
This story clearly has a message, which (as a pagan) I’m fully onboard with. To believe in what you can see, before you are told what to believe! This is Book 2 (and my first) in the series, and I can’t wait to read the rest. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves folklore, and has ever questioned their beliefs.
4 ⭐️
Thanks to Tobias, Youngblood, Oliver Shade, Riposte Press, LLC, and NetGalley, for providing me with this free ARC, with which I leave a voluntary review.
Available: NOW
This story clearly has a message, which (as a pagan) I’m fully onboard with. To believe in what you can see, before you are told what to believe! This is Book 2 (and my first) in the series, and I can’t wait to read the rest. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves folklore, and has ever questioned their beliefs.
4 ⭐️
Thanks to Tobias, Youngblood, Oliver Shade, Riposte Press, LLC, and NetGalley, for providing me with this free ARC, with which I leave a voluntary review.
Available: NOW
April 28, 2026
4☆
Tobias Youngblood describes his novellas as Goosebumps for adults. I agree 100%! Tom did give me the young reader vibes but with adult themes such as domestic violence, religious control, prejudice, depression and suicide.
Peter Walcott is a 12 year old boy, who lives in Brighton Township. At the opening of the book Peter and his parents are witnessing the murder of a woman accused of being a witch. The town ritual does not sit well with Peter. A lot of what the church subscribes to doesn't feel right to Peter.
Tom is a squirrel-like animal that Peter befriends. Tom fascinates and scares Peter at the same time. Fascination wins and the relationship deepens, partly due to Simon, Peter's dead twin. Yes, Simon is dead, but Peter can see and interact with him. As the relationship grows stronger between Tom and Peter, Tom changes. Peter often questions if Tom is part of the witches evil.
The control the church holds over the community is deep. I appreciated the questions Peter had about the preacher and the Good Father, God.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you Tobias Youngblood, Riposte Press and Booksirens.
Favorite Quote:
"Audience. Is that what we are, here at church? I thought so. I was starting to think of this all as a show. This was theater. My gut told me so. But did that mean it was a lie?"
Tobias Youngblood describes his novellas as Goosebumps for adults. I agree 100%! Tom did give me the young reader vibes but with adult themes such as domestic violence, religious control, prejudice, depression and suicide.
Peter Walcott is a 12 year old boy, who lives in Brighton Township. At the opening of the book Peter and his parents are witnessing the murder of a woman accused of being a witch. The town ritual does not sit well with Peter. A lot of what the church subscribes to doesn't feel right to Peter.
Tom is a squirrel-like animal that Peter befriends. Tom fascinates and scares Peter at the same time. Fascination wins and the relationship deepens, partly due to Simon, Peter's dead twin. Yes, Simon is dead, but Peter can see and interact with him. As the relationship grows stronger between Tom and Peter, Tom changes. Peter often questions if Tom is part of the witches evil.
The control the church holds over the community is deep. I appreciated the questions Peter had about the preacher and the Good Father, God.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you Tobias Youngblood, Riposte Press and Booksirens.
Favorite Quote:
"Audience. Is that what we are, here at church? I thought so. I was starting to think of this all as a show. This was theater. My gut told me so. But did that mean it was a lie?"
April 30, 2026
A small, but mighty novella which ticked every folk horror box for me. Creepy and nature-y with fantastic characters and world building. It takes huge talent to be able to create such a perfect package in so few pages, I am very impressed. This is going onto my ‘best of 2026’ shelf because it was faultless.
I downloaded this free advanced digital copy from the NetGalley platform as a ‘read now’ title and this is my honest review in exchange for the privilege. I enjoyed every minute of it and would recommend to all my horror loving book friends, especially those who enjoy quiet, gentle horror.
5 strange squirrels out of 5! 🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️/5
I downloaded this free advanced digital copy from the NetGalley platform as a ‘read now’ title and this is my honest review in exchange for the privilege. I enjoyed every minute of it and would recommend to all my horror loving book friends, especially those who enjoy quiet, gentle horror.
5 strange squirrels out of 5! 🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️/5
April 1, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I felt like reading some horror before bed tonight, so when I noticed Tom as "read now" on NetGalley (and also realized that Death Sketch, that I bought few minutes earlier is the first one in the series, I knew what needs to be done).
Both Death Sketch & Tom made me feel nostalgic, in that type of way I can only imagine would be something along the lines of You're a teenager and you snuck a horror book to read in bed along with flashlight. Imagine is the keyword here, since I never needed to hide while reading, mostly because my mom, being a horror fan didn't really mind me picking up scary books. The fact that I accidentally seen that corridor scene from The Shining as kid? It's been years and it's still one of the very few horror things that make me uncomfortable. Either way, I can only imagine that in a way, it shaped me into the horror loving person I am now and nothing will ever change that.
Tom made me realize once again, that I will probably never know why, but there's something about horrors being told from a child's perspective that's my guilty pleasure and this book is of course one of them.
Random question: have you ever seen a demonic squirrel? No? Don't worry, it was my first time too.
I might have read it in bed with a cup of warm tea instead of being under stormy sky with a poisoned martini (hope that they weren't an necessary sensory boosts lol), but I did enjoy my time.
Can't wait for the rest of the series, both the standalones and Peter's fate, since we finished on a cliffhanger and the ending part of the book does promise more to come for both him and the town.
P.S. don't let me get started on the covers, since they're an absolute blast.
I felt like reading some horror before bed tonight, so when I noticed Tom as "read now" on NetGalley (and also realized that Death Sketch, that I bought few minutes earlier is the first one in the series, I knew what needs to be done).
Both Death Sketch & Tom made me feel nostalgic, in that type of way I can only imagine would be something along the lines of You're a teenager and you snuck a horror book to read in bed along with flashlight. Imagine is the keyword here, since I never needed to hide while reading, mostly because my mom, being a horror fan didn't really mind me picking up scary books. The fact that I accidentally seen that corridor scene from The Shining as kid? It's been years and it's still one of the very few horror things that make me uncomfortable. Either way, I can only imagine that in a way, it shaped me into the horror loving person I am now and nothing will ever change that.
Tom made me realize once again, that I will probably never know why, but there's something about horrors being told from a child's perspective that's my guilty pleasure and this book is of course one of them.
Random question: have you ever seen a demonic squirrel? No? Don't worry, it was my first time too.
I might have read it in bed with a cup of warm tea instead of being under stormy sky with a poisoned martini (hope that they weren't an necessary sensory boosts lol), but I did enjoy my time.
Can't wait for the rest of the series, both the standalones and Peter's fate, since we finished on a cliffhanger and the ending part of the book does promise more to come for both him and the town.
P.S. don't let me get started on the covers, since they're an absolute blast.
May 4, 2026
Tom has a lot going for it, especially in its narrator. Peter Walcott’s voice is the strongest part of the novella: curious, frightened, observant, and still young enough to believe what adults tell him even when his own instincts are warning him otherwise. That voice is on full display in the opening chapter, built around a public drowning ritual. It puts the horror in the right place immediately — not only in the violence itself, but in the way a community teaches a child to call that violence righteous.
The setting also works well. Brighton feels like a closed religious world where fear has been mistaken for faith, and the book is at its best when Peter notices the cracks in that world without fully understanding them. The carnival scenes, The Amazing Mr. Mouse, and the slow pressure placed on Peter’s family give the story some of its best moments. There is real feeling here, especially in the way innocence gets squeezed between belief, shame, and survival.
Where the novella worked less well for me was in how much it tries to carry at once. It wants to be folk horror, coming-of-age horror, creature horror, and series setup all at the same time. Some of those pieces are strong on their own, but they do not all fully come together. Tom himself is interesting, but he also becomes a little too flexible as a symbol: pet, monster, familiar, imaginary friend, grief figure, and something else entirely. A little ambiguity can be powerful in horror, but here I wanted a firmer sense of what the story was asking him to mean.
The ending was my biggest reservation. It has striking imagery and a few strong emotional beats, but it feels more like the beginning of a larger story than the conclusion of this one. Several important threads are left open, and the final note pushes hard toward “more to come.” That may work for readers who enjoy series-style horror, but I prefer a novella to feel more complete on its own.
Still, there is real craft here. Peter’s voice, the opening ritual, and the best moments of folk-horror atmosphere are worth remembering. I just wish the book had narrowed its focus and trusted its strongest story to stand on its own.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 11, 2026
Young Peter Wolcott is keeping secrets, caught between what he’s told and what he believes is right vs. wrong. But at 12 years old, it’s hard to speak out against your elders. And would it make a difference anyway? After he decides to befriend a weird-looking “squirrel” who’s been visiting him at night, Peter’s choice gets harder. Is this fascinating animal part of the witch cult he’s been warned about? Or is it something else entirely?
I started reading this novella in the morning and finished it before bedtime. It was that good. I was expecting horror, which is not exactly my jam. Instead, the story is creepy, captivating, and well told. We see everything through Peter’s eyes and thoughts, which gave it an innocence that I thought made the story even better. Peter is still deciding for himself whether his parents, the church, and the elders in his tiny town know whereof they speak as they guide him toward adulthood. I loved how his mind worked, and the way he came to his own conclusions.
The story started with the drowning of a witch. As a Wiccan reader, this made me pause. But the story makes good use of that historical horror to prompt questions in the reader’s mind, too. I loved that, as well as the fact that the story places the mantle of villainhood right where it belongs.
If you love ghost stories, paranormal tales, and a good creep factor, you will definitely want to read this novella. Highly recommended.
I started reading this novella in the morning and finished it before bedtime. It was that good. I was expecting horror, which is not exactly my jam. Instead, the story is creepy, captivating, and well told. We see everything through Peter’s eyes and thoughts, which gave it an innocence that I thought made the story even better. Peter is still deciding for himself whether his parents, the church, and the elders in his tiny town know whereof they speak as they guide him toward adulthood. I loved how his mind worked, and the way he came to his own conclusions.
The story started with the drowning of a witch. As a Wiccan reader, this made me pause. But the story makes good use of that historical horror to prompt questions in the reader’s mind, too. I loved that, as well as the fact that the story places the mantle of villainhood right where it belongs.
If you love ghost stories, paranormal tales, and a good creep factor, you will definitely want to read this novella. Highly recommended.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is the third review I’ve done this year where I’ve had to mention this: Please, if you or someone else, especially a smile child, has a nosebleed … do not tip your head back! Lean forward! Oh, and this book ends on a cliffhanger.
Peter is a clever and imaginative child being raised by parents who try to do good by him. They send him to school, they give in when he wants a pet, his father teaches him about guns and the dangers of the wood, and of course the family goes to church. But the church they go to is an extreme one preaching about the evils of sin and the killing of witches, drowning them in the nearby lake which leads to Peter not wanting to eat fish caught there. (And who could blame him?)
The element of Tom, the squirrel who may be more than he seems — or exactly what he seems — is being well set up, but because of the way this book is written you’ll have to pick up the next book to find the answers. For myself, this is cute, and would make a fun Halloween read as a completed story. But I’m not sure if I’m caught enough to deliberately go looking for the sequel.
The writing is good, the small details are good, but it’s a very light and insubstantial book as it stands. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
Peter is a clever and imaginative child being raised by parents who try to do good by him. They send him to school, they give in when he wants a pet, his father teaches him about guns and the dangers of the wood, and of course the family goes to church. But the church they go to is an extreme one preaching about the evils of sin and the killing of witches, drowning them in the nearby lake which leads to Peter not wanting to eat fish caught there. (And who could blame him?)
The element of Tom, the squirrel who may be more than he seems — or exactly what he seems — is being well set up, but because of the way this book is written you’ll have to pick up the next book to find the answers. For myself, this is cute, and would make a fun Halloween read as a completed story. But I’m not sure if I’m caught enough to deliberately go looking for the sequel.
The writing is good, the small details are good, but it’s a very light and insubstantial book as it stands. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
April 21, 2026
Tom is a chilling and atmospheric horror novella that draws heavily on folklore-inspired dread and psychological tension. Tobias Youngblood and Oliver Shade craft a setting steeped in superstition, where disappearances and ritual fear shape the lives of an entire community.
At the center of the story is young Peter Walcott, whose perspective gives the narrative an unsettling innocence. His exposure to strange local traditions and mysterious encounters creates a steady buildup of tension, as reality and imagination begin to blur. The introduction of Tom is particularly effective, gradually shifting from curiosity to something far more ominous.
The strength of the novella lies in its atmosphere and restraint. Rather than relying on overt horror, it builds unease through suggestion, ambiguity, and emotional uneasiness. The influence of classic horror traditions is clear, but the story still feels fresh in its execution.
Overall, Tom is a compact but impactful horror read that will appeal to fans of slow-burn psychological and folk horror, delivering a lingering sense of unease long after the final page.
At the center of the story is young Peter Walcott, whose perspective gives the narrative an unsettling innocence. His exposure to strange local traditions and mysterious encounters creates a steady buildup of tension, as reality and imagination begin to blur. The introduction of Tom is particularly effective, gradually shifting from curiosity to something far more ominous.
The strength of the novella lies in its atmosphere and restraint. Rather than relying on overt horror, it builds unease through suggestion, ambiguity, and emotional uneasiness. The influence of classic horror traditions is clear, but the story still feels fresh in its execution.
Overall, Tom is a compact but impactful horror read that will appeal to fans of slow-burn psychological and folk horror, delivering a lingering sense of unease long after the final page.
April 3, 2026
What a creepy story!
All I can say is I am very glad I have never and will never live in anyplace like Brighton. Not only do they drown “witches” in the lake, but then they eat the fish that come out of that lake. Our story is about a young boy, Peter Walcott by name. At one time, he even had a twin brother, but Simon died a long time ago. Now he’s alone with his parents and is witnessing a witch being drowned for the first time. Not surprisingly, Peter is not exactly fond of what he sees and questions how everyone knew she was a witch. Actually, Peter seems to question a lot of things in his hometown that he doesn’t agree with or understand. I have to admit, I can definitely see Stephen King’s influence in this story. It’s well written and I was pulled into it and had to read it through to find out how it ended, which I did not see coming to be honest.
I received an advanced reader’s copy and am voluntarily leaving this review.
All I can say is I am very glad I have never and will never live in anyplace like Brighton. Not only do they drown “witches” in the lake, but then they eat the fish that come out of that lake. Our story is about a young boy, Peter Walcott by name. At one time, he even had a twin brother, but Simon died a long time ago. Now he’s alone with his parents and is witnessing a witch being drowned for the first time. Not surprisingly, Peter is not exactly fond of what he sees and questions how everyone knew she was a witch. Actually, Peter seems to question a lot of things in his hometown that he doesn’t agree with or understand. I have to admit, I can definitely see Stephen King’s influence in this story. It’s well written and I was pulled into it and had to read it through to find out how it ended, which I did not see coming to be honest.
I received an advanced reader’s copy and am voluntarily leaving this review.
April 5, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
This book is a good blend of psychological suspense with a lingering sense of unease.
It took me a while to get into this one, unsure if it was the writing or the setting. But for a bit there i couldn't seem to relate at all.
But being a mood reader it does happen to me more often then not. The book did pick up in the end and ended up being an interesting read.
I will definitely check out some other the authors other books as it has peaked my interest.
Big shout out to the author for the ARC.
This book is a good blend of psychological suspense with a lingering sense of unease.
It took me a while to get into this one, unsure if it was the writing or the setting. But for a bit there i couldn't seem to relate at all.
But being a mood reader it does happen to me more often then not. The book did pick up in the end and ended up being an interesting read.
I will definitely check out some other the authors other books as it has peaked my interest.
Big shout out to the author for the ARC.
Read
March 28, 2026This book was an unusual read. Addictive and a page turner but at times fairly horrific.
I received an advance review copy for free (thank you), and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I had to keep reading to see how it was going to end. I feel that several major life issues were touched upon which made it both interesting and thought provoking. I would recommend this to all, particularly if you fancy something a bit different.
I received an advance review copy for free (thank you), and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I had to keep reading to see how it was going to end. I feel that several major life issues were touched upon which made it both interesting and thought provoking. I would recommend this to all, particularly if you fancy something a bit different.
April 27, 2026
The book started out interesting. You wanted to know more about the characters and more of how they all fit into the story. The setting made a person think about how people were treated and how people were scared/controlled into doing things they may not have normally done. The ending was a bit abrupt and I was looking for a little more. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 28, 2026
While it says “Nightmares, Book 2”, it doesn't seem to have any connection to the first book (I only read the synopsis of book 1). It's a short novella length book set in the time of witches and basically introduces the setting and characters of Peter & Tom. The story was good and about a child trying to decide what of the things he is being taught is right and what is wrong. It ends on a soft cliffhanger for the next book, which I am looking forward to.
March 31, 2026
I absolutely devoured this unhinged tale of witchcraft, shapeshifting, ghosts, and a boy trying to find his place between right and wrong in his overbearing world. This book releases today, March 31, 2026! Thank-you, BooksGoSocial, for this complimentary copy. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Review of advance copy
It was at first slow in the beginning but as the story progressed I found the horror in it interesting. The narrator a twelve year old boy begins to question his town’s religious code more and more and By the end I was hooked. I’m excited for the sequel!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2026
This book is an intriguing ride where a almost Purtian town, I say this because they get rid of witches. Turns into a slightly Cosmic horrorish adventures when a Squirrel that isn't quite right appears, and the young hero names him Tom. Yet, Tom isn't what he seems.
This is a fun read!
This is a fun read!
April 5, 2026
This was wonderful book I enjoyed it. It was wonderful to read a horror story through eyes of child. It was mysterious & also positive. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Want to Read
April 1, 2026Release April 1
April 2, 2026
Amazing book 2, excellent pacing and kept me on the edge of my seat! Can't wait to see more of Peter.
April 13, 2026
Brighton has a terrible record or people disappearing. It’s a total nightmare that’s impossible to wake up from. Short but unbelievable, you don’t want to miss out on reading this book.
April 12, 2026
Small, claustrophobic rural communities are like a magnet to me, and this story offers a truly terrifying one, drenched in superstition and fanaticism. Indoctrination and moral conditioning are deeply disturbing. Another aspect that amps the creepy factor is that the protagonist is a child trying to survive in such environment, a lonely, isolated kid. The opening scene in which the “witch” is drowned is even more devastating when seen through that child's eyes. Seeing the child torn between the established beliefs instilled in him by his parents and the church and his own critical thinking is, in my opinion, one of the story’s strengths. Not to mention Peter’s twin, the fish from Lake Black, or Tom, the creature whose nature is unclear but deeply intriguing. The story leans heavily into atmosphere and character psychology rather than cheaper scares.
The downside is that the book has an open ending that leaves you craving more, or rather, ends on a killer cliffhanger. Since it's part of a series, I hope to see the author continue Peter's adventures.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The downside is that the book has an open ending that leaves you craving more, or rather, ends on a killer cliffhanger. Since it's part of a series, I hope to see the author continue Peter's adventures.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews