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Hail Holy Queens
It’s 1887. High in the snow-swept Berkshires sits an old Romanesque convent where the nuns turn out
bottles of their potent Italian amaro. They pray. They work. They pray some more. It's an isolated place
where little gets in the way of the sisters' devotion.
Until now.
From a cavern lair far above the convent comes a predatory beast that stalks the good The Gulo.
The Hellish thing resembles both wolf and wolverine, with a massive maw of long, curved incisors and a
thick hide covered in deadly quills. In a hideous pack, the creatures ravage some of the holy women and
stalk off into the freezing forest hillside, but not before the nuns themselves manage to slay one of them.
Rather than risk the return of these fiends, the sisters decide to hunt them down. Fortified by their own
powerful amaro—and by the bloodlust rising in them—they march into a raging gale of wind and snow with
only makeshift weapons and a powerful medieval crucifix with a fire-hardened tip.
It's long odds for the brides of Christ.
But the appearance of a mysterious character turns the tide in their favor. The nuns can hardly believe it . .
. but there she stands, a tall, striking woman who claims to have vanquished werewolves and other vicious
bêtes in her native France. The strange warrior-saint gains the trust of the sisters who dub her the Long
Nun. Though some think she hides a dreadful secret, too.
One thing’s for sure, this Long Nun knows how to bring forth death.
She trains the sisters in the ways of the hunt, encouraging them to heed their darker impulses, to abandon
their churchly humility, and to seek violent vengeance against the Gulo. With their pagan and carnal senses
heightened, the sisters take on the pack, becoming savages themselves, creatures bent on bloody
revenge.
It’s a true holy war, and a young postulant named Henrietta Q. documents all the grisly details in her battle
book. But whether anyone will read it depends on the outcome of the fight… and on the mystery of the
Long Nun.
Robert Eggers meets Emerald Fennell and Tarantino in the gothic horror thriller HAIL HOLY QUEENS.
bottles of their potent Italian amaro. They pray. They work. They pray some more. It's an isolated place
where little gets in the way of the sisters' devotion.
Until now.
From a cavern lair far above the convent comes a predatory beast that stalks the good The Gulo.
The Hellish thing resembles both wolf and wolverine, with a massive maw of long, curved incisors and a
thick hide covered in deadly quills. In a hideous pack, the creatures ravage some of the holy women and
stalk off into the freezing forest hillside, but not before the nuns themselves manage to slay one of them.
Rather than risk the return of these fiends, the sisters decide to hunt them down. Fortified by their own
powerful amaro—and by the bloodlust rising in them—they march into a raging gale of wind and snow with
only makeshift weapons and a powerful medieval crucifix with a fire-hardened tip.
It's long odds for the brides of Christ.
But the appearance of a mysterious character turns the tide in their favor. The nuns can hardly believe it . .
. but there she stands, a tall, striking woman who claims to have vanquished werewolves and other vicious
bêtes in her native France. The strange warrior-saint gains the trust of the sisters who dub her the Long
Nun. Though some think she hides a dreadful secret, too.
One thing’s for sure, this Long Nun knows how to bring forth death.
She trains the sisters in the ways of the hunt, encouraging them to heed their darker impulses, to abandon
their churchly humility, and to seek violent vengeance against the Gulo. With their pagan and carnal senses
heightened, the sisters take on the pack, becoming savages themselves, creatures bent on bloody
revenge.
It’s a true holy war, and a young postulant named Henrietta Q. documents all the grisly details in her battle
book. But whether anyone will read it depends on the outcome of the fight… and on the mystery of the
Long Nun.
Robert Eggers meets Emerald Fennell and Tarantino in the gothic horror thriller HAIL HOLY QUEENS.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 28, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
June 7, 2026
Voicey, bloody, unhinged, unapologetic, vivid and visceral. If Robert Eggers made The Ghost and the Darkness, it might come close to McGinley’s period horror story about 19th century nuns in the Berkshires fighting off beats of undetermined origin. A wild, harrowing ride.
August 6, 2026
Hail Holy Queens | Chris McGinley
When an evil creature attacks a convent, the nuns seeks vengeance with the help of a new comrade.
What did I just read???
This book is the epitome of feminine rage. I grew up Catholic, so the lives that nuns commit to living is something I'm familiar with. I adored how the depiction of Christ's brides was turned upside down. Yes, they are pious. Yes, they are devout. However, they are enraged. Typically nuns are depicted as sweet and humble or stern and strict. This book depicted them as people with very real feelings, behaviors, and actions. It paints a picture that anyone, religious or otherwise, can react with violent vengeance when they, or their loved ones, are threatened.
The FMC was unreliable, and the story is told as a written collection of her experiences while staying at the convent. She was diagnosed with a "nervous condition" and was sent away to rest. The bloody, gory, unbelievable tale I questioned throughout. Was it real, was it in her head, was it one of her stories she sold to the papers?
The ominous vibes start on page 1 and build throughout. The growing comraderie between the women was beautifully written. Uniting against evil to vanquish it - joining forces despite differences to keep evil at bay. This is a powerful message and one that was written very well. The theme of retaining faith through hardship was prevalent.
This story was incredible. It was a nightmare on paper and the atmospheric way in which it is written transports the reader. Highly, highly recommend.
When an evil creature attacks a convent, the nuns seeks vengeance with the help of a new comrade.
What did I just read???
This book is the epitome of feminine rage. I grew up Catholic, so the lives that nuns commit to living is something I'm familiar with. I adored how the depiction of Christ's brides was turned upside down. Yes, they are pious. Yes, they are devout. However, they are enraged. Typically nuns are depicted as sweet and humble or stern and strict. This book depicted them as people with very real feelings, behaviors, and actions. It paints a picture that anyone, religious or otherwise, can react with violent vengeance when they, or their loved ones, are threatened.
The FMC was unreliable, and the story is told as a written collection of her experiences while staying at the convent. She was diagnosed with a "nervous condition" and was sent away to rest. The bloody, gory, unbelievable tale I questioned throughout. Was it real, was it in her head, was it one of her stories she sold to the papers?
The ominous vibes start on page 1 and build throughout. The growing comraderie between the women was beautifully written. Uniting against evil to vanquish it - joining forces despite differences to keep evil at bay. This is a powerful message and one that was written very well. The theme of retaining faith through hardship was prevalent.
This story was incredible. It was a nightmare on paper and the atmospheric way in which it is written transports the reader. Highly, highly recommend.
July 28, 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Wow! This book was something else! I knew from the description it was going to be crazy, but I didn’t expect the level of crazy.
From the beginning, we are transported into the story of a group of nuns who are ravaged by a beast that is spreading psychosis and death among the nuns. They embark on a journey to hunt and kill the beasts, and what follows is 200 pages of batshit crazy, gore, religious fervor and female rage.
They are transformed, enraged, they become the animals they hunt, they blend religious rites with pagan ones, finding their true selves in the process, liberating themselves from the constraints of religion, society, patriarchy. They are Christian Maenads/Bacchae following a female Dionysus/Bacchus on as much of a spiritual journey as a physical one, fighting the elements and the beasts that surround them, and I loved every moment.
Thank you NetGalley, Fringe Press, and Chris McGinley for the ARC!
Wow! This book was something else! I knew from the description it was going to be crazy, but I didn’t expect the level of crazy.
From the beginning, we are transported into the story of a group of nuns who are ravaged by a beast that is spreading psychosis and death among the nuns. They embark on a journey to hunt and kill the beasts, and what follows is 200 pages of batshit crazy, gore, religious fervor and female rage.
They are transformed, enraged, they become the animals they hunt, they blend religious rites with pagan ones, finding their true selves in the process, liberating themselves from the constraints of religion, society, patriarchy. They are Christian Maenads/Bacchae following a female Dionysus/Bacchus on as much of a spiritual journey as a physical one, fighting the elements and the beasts that surround them, and I loved every moment.
Thank you NetGalley, Fringe Press, and Chris McGinley for the ARC!
August 2, 2026
I was looking forward to this, and at its core is a thrilling, visceral look at the battle between good and evil, with a dose of church politics. But the period tone is shrouded in a self-conscious veneer, as in the too-modern “Still I persisted” and the narrator’s far too frequent direct pleas to the reader. And then there’s the nunsplaining.
August 2, 2026
Setting and atmosphere, for me, are this book’s strength. I felt like I’d been transported to this claustrophobic, isolated convent in the mountains.
The first half held me riveted. But the repetition of events got to me in the second half, which was unfortunate. It was blood and gore, rinse (maybe) and repeat, without much to differentiate one battle from the next. I would have liked a better understanding of the demon beasts, and more focus on the women finding their independence.
If you love horror and don’t mind the repetition, this book might be the perfect read for you.
The first half held me riveted. But the repetition of events got to me in the second half, which was unfortunate. It was blood and gore, rinse (maybe) and repeat, without much to differentiate one battle from the next. I would have liked a better understanding of the demon beasts, and more focus on the women finding their independence.
If you love horror and don’t mind the repetition, this book might be the perfect read for you.
August 4, 2026
if Sister Act, The Shining, The Witch, The Nun, and feminism had a baby in a horror movie set in a creepy forest, it would be this amazing piece of literature. I can’t remember the last time I was this sad to finish a book, even though I refused to pace myself.
August 10, 2026
An isolated 19th century convent is attacked by strange possibly supernatural creatures. A mysterious nun appears with knowledge and fighting skills. What happens is a mad mix of violence, religious fervor & homemade wine.
I was looking forward to this one & it did not disappoint! It delivered & went down like that homemade wine. I found myself finishing it the next day.
Highly recommended for some pulpy fun.
I was looking forward to this one & it did not disappoint! It delivered & went down like that homemade wine. I found myself finishing it the next day.
Highly recommended for some pulpy fun.
August 8, 2026
A big thank you to NetGalley and Fringe Press for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Hail Holy Queens is a journal-style story written by Henrietta, who addresses the reader throughout her tale. Henrietta finds herself at a convent as part of her doctor and husband’s treatment plan for her behavioral problems, with her writing dark tales as the biggest problem. At the beginning of her stay, she keeps to herself, writing away in her cell and participating in convent life as little as possible. On the eve of her release, a snowstorm hits, and with it comes evil creatures and the Long Nun to guide the convent in a holy war.
What follows is a wild tale of battle nuns, wolf monsters, sisterly bonding, and a lot of blood and violence. Did I mention the blood? It's a crazy fun ride with some minor issues.
This first issue is definitely a me thing. This is a Catholic convent filled with nuns, so there are a lot of references to rituals, rites, and articles of clothing I had to look up just to understand the story. As a newcomer telling her story to readers who may or may not know what these things are, I think Henrietta should have explained these better.
Henrietta sounded a bit too modern at times when talking to the reader. The Long Nun did as well, but it felt different when she did. I got the feeling that she might have been an angel in disguise or something along those lines, so her speech didn’t bother me. Henrietta, on the other hand, was supposed to be a society woman, and her wording sometimes felt more modern than the late 1800s.
Lastly, when the nuns went on the hunt for the devil/demon (?) monsters, the story became a bit repetitive. This isn’t a long book so I feel like it shouldn’t have felt like it was dragging. But it did. Maybe the repetition was intentional, mimicking the nuns’ daily rituals? If so, I missed that.
Still, it was an interesting tale that danced the line of classic pulp horror and modern-day horror.
I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a short, Catholic-themed pulp horror story.
Hail Holy Queens is a journal-style story written by Henrietta, who addresses the reader throughout her tale. Henrietta finds herself at a convent as part of her doctor and husband’s treatment plan for her behavioral problems, with her writing dark tales as the biggest problem. At the beginning of her stay, she keeps to herself, writing away in her cell and participating in convent life as little as possible. On the eve of her release, a snowstorm hits, and with it comes evil creatures and the Long Nun to guide the convent in a holy war.
What follows is a wild tale of battle nuns, wolf monsters, sisterly bonding, and a lot of blood and violence. Did I mention the blood? It's a crazy fun ride with some minor issues.
This first issue is definitely a me thing. This is a Catholic convent filled with nuns, so there are a lot of references to rituals, rites, and articles of clothing I had to look up just to understand the story. As a newcomer telling her story to readers who may or may not know what these things are, I think Henrietta should have explained these better.
Henrietta sounded a bit too modern at times when talking to the reader. The Long Nun did as well, but it felt different when she did. I got the feeling that she might have been an angel in disguise or something along those lines, so her speech didn’t bother me. Henrietta, on the other hand, was supposed to be a society woman, and her wording sometimes felt more modern than the late 1800s.
Lastly, when the nuns went on the hunt for the devil/demon (?) monsters, the story became a bit repetitive. This isn’t a long book so I feel like it shouldn’t have felt like it was dragging. But it did. Maybe the repetition was intentional, mimicking the nuns’ daily rituals? If so, I missed that.
Still, it was an interesting tale that danced the line of classic pulp horror and modern-day horror.
I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a short, Catholic-themed pulp horror story.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5/5 stars
Hail Holy Queens grabbed me by the throat and refused to let go. Honestly, it's still hanging on a good few hours later after finishing it, which is usually the mark of a fantastic book in my experience.
This book starts with a bang and it never lets up. When I thought the stakes couldn't get any higher, they continued to be raised in the most brutal, gory fashion and I loved every minute of it. I never knew how much I needed some beast-killing nuns in my life until now, but I'm so glad I found out. There's no hesitation or skirting around the bush to be found here; everything is laid out in intricate, nasty detail--and that's a good thing. I wouldn't have felt so strongly about this novel if it shied away from the blood and guts of it all.
Henrietta (or Henry, as the sisters call her) was a great protagonist, but where Hail Holy Queens really shines is with the other characters. Even ones that only show up for a few brief sentences were great and felt like that had meaningful impact on the story as a whole. Setting the giant hunt in the middle of the winter during a blizzard was also a great choice. Every moment felt like a life or death scenario and there were real consequences to be felt throughout.
I really enjoyed my time with this novel, but the only thing holding it back from a true 5 star rating is the epilogue. The ending of the story itself was well done and felt like the perfect stopping place, so the epilogue felt a little unnecessary. I say it often when it comes to horror books, but it's something that remains true: sometimes (most of the time, even) keeping a little of the mystery around is better than trying to explain things. Still, I loved the book enough that I didn't let this change the way I saw the rest of it.
My thanks to Fringe Press and Netgalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.
Hail Holy Queens grabbed me by the throat and refused to let go. Honestly, it's still hanging on a good few hours later after finishing it, which is usually the mark of a fantastic book in my experience.
This book starts with a bang and it never lets up. When I thought the stakes couldn't get any higher, they continued to be raised in the most brutal, gory fashion and I loved every minute of it. I never knew how much I needed some beast-killing nuns in my life until now, but I'm so glad I found out. There's no hesitation or skirting around the bush to be found here; everything is laid out in intricate, nasty detail--and that's a good thing. I wouldn't have felt so strongly about this novel if it shied away from the blood and guts of it all.
Henrietta (or Henry, as the sisters call her) was a great protagonist, but where Hail Holy Queens really shines is with the other characters. Even ones that only show up for a few brief sentences were great and felt like that had meaningful impact on the story as a whole. Setting the giant hunt in the middle of the winter during a blizzard was also a great choice. Every moment felt like a life or death scenario and there were real consequences to be felt throughout.
I really enjoyed my time with this novel, but the only thing holding it back from a true 5 star rating is the epilogue. The ending of the story itself was well done and felt like the perfect stopping place, so the epilogue felt a little unnecessary. I say it often when it comes to horror books, but it's something that remains true: sometimes (most of the time, even) keeping a little of the mystery around is better than trying to explain things. Still, I loved the book enough that I didn't let this change the way I saw the rest of it.
My thanks to Fringe Press and Netgalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Let’s set the stage: 1800s snowed in nuns vs. otherworldly, wolverine-esque creatures who can induce madness
What comes from this is an insanely wild, grotesque ride that did not let up 😮💨 This book is so much more than just a creature feature though. It’s filled with female rage. The rage towards the creatures for harming their own, rage towards the men in their lives, and rage towards the system that treats women like they should be meek and submissive and anything other is wrong. The nuns themselves turned just as animalistic as the creatures they hunted, and the growing camaraderie amongst them was delightful to witness.
The book itself felt like a fever dream. It is told as a written recollection from one of the nuns who was present, but I felt she was very unreliable. Considering why she was in the nunnery, I won’t spoil that 🤭, I really questioned if the story being told was the actual reality. That mixed with the madness the Gulo could induce, it was very hard to distinguish reality from illusion. It added another depth to the story, and I love an unreliable narrator.
Overall, I felt this was a fantastic horror and I enjoyed my time with these warrior nuns. Definitely recommend to those who love creature features and female rage 🙂↕️
Thank you NetGalley, Fringe Press, and Chris McGinley for the ARC! 🫶🏼
What comes from this is an insanely wild, grotesque ride that did not let up 😮💨 This book is so much more than just a creature feature though. It’s filled with female rage. The rage towards the creatures for harming their own, rage towards the men in their lives, and rage towards the system that treats women like they should be meek and submissive and anything other is wrong. The nuns themselves turned just as animalistic as the creatures they hunted, and the growing camaraderie amongst them was delightful to witness.
The book itself felt like a fever dream. It is told as a written recollection from one of the nuns who was present, but I felt she was very unreliable. Considering why she was in the nunnery, I won’t spoil that 🤭, I really questioned if the story being told was the actual reality. That mixed with the madness the Gulo could induce, it was very hard to distinguish reality from illusion. It added another depth to the story, and I love an unreliable narrator.
Overall, I felt this was a fantastic horror and I enjoyed my time with these warrior nuns. Definitely recommend to those who love creature features and female rage 🙂↕️
Thank you NetGalley, Fringe Press, and Chris McGinley for the ARC! 🫶🏼
August 4, 2026
In 1887, nuns in a Berkshire convent hunt predatory beasts called Gulo after an attack, aided by a mysterious warrior who trains them in violent vengeance.
💭💭🤔
📚2.5 stars.
📚 Thriller
📚Netgalley via Kindle
A MARRIED woman gets sent to a convent after her husband discovers she writes in a journal and writes novels. The husband throws several journals into the fire in front of her and decides she is mentally insane.
she sees multiple doctors and goes to multiple asylum and eventually The convent.
outside the snowy mountains the sisters must navigate the internal animal instincts (peeing outside and being naked ) etc... and get down to business to defeat the Gulos.
what is a Gulo im glad you asked.. its a black dog like beasts with long quills and a black tongue.
A sister show up right when they need her to help hunt the wild pack. The Gulo has eaten and hurt multiple nuns and young children. They must attack back!
2.5 stars because the ending is the only part worth it.
the middle is .. mid and uneventful.
however the concept is cool and it is something different. This is a very unhinged and graphic book which I don't mind.
0 spice but strange.
🧮
Stats: july 28th 2026 (Out now)
pages : 228
book 491 logged on my Goodreads
#netgalley #goodreads #bookgirlies #sisternun
#newthrillerbook
💭💭🤔
📚2.5 stars.
📚 Thriller
📚Netgalley via Kindle
A MARRIED woman gets sent to a convent after her husband discovers she writes in a journal and writes novels. The husband throws several journals into the fire in front of her and decides she is mentally insane.
she sees multiple doctors and goes to multiple asylum and eventually The convent.
outside the snowy mountains the sisters must navigate the internal animal instincts (peeing outside and being naked ) etc... and get down to business to defeat the Gulos.
what is a Gulo im glad you asked.. its a black dog like beasts with long quills and a black tongue.
A sister show up right when they need her to help hunt the wild pack. The Gulo has eaten and hurt multiple nuns and young children. They must attack back!
2.5 stars because the ending is the only part worth it.
the middle is .. mid and uneventful.
however the concept is cool and it is something different. This is a very unhinged and graphic book which I don't mind.
0 spice but strange.
🧮
Stats: july 28th 2026 (Out now)
pages : 228
book 491 logged on my Goodreads
#netgalley #goodreads #bookgirlies #sisternun
#newthrillerbook
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you Fringe Press, #partner for the advanced copy of Hail Holy Queens in exchange for my honest review.
This is the 1st book to be published by Fringe Press, a small press that is publishing stories at the edge…well they certainly nailed it with this one!!
This story is one wild ride…and I was totally there for it!! It’s gory, it’s dark, it’s incredibly vivid and yet I could not put it down. This one got under my skin unlike anything else. Who knew a group of beast-killing nuns would end of being such an all-consuming book?
I loved the main protagonist, Henrietta, or Henry, as she ends up going by. Her character arc might be one of my favorites I’ve read in a long time…and I refuse to spoil it in any way. All I’ll say is I love that the book is written via her diary entries and that is how we “meet” the other characters, but they still are as vivid as Henry.
I loved this one and cannot wait to see what both the author and the publisher do next!!
My reviews can also be found on my blog: Always With A Book
This is the 1st book to be published by Fringe Press, a small press that is publishing stories at the edge…well they certainly nailed it with this one!!
This story is one wild ride…and I was totally there for it!! It’s gory, it’s dark, it’s incredibly vivid and yet I could not put it down. This one got under my skin unlike anything else. Who knew a group of beast-killing nuns would end of being such an all-consuming book?
I loved the main protagonist, Henrietta, or Henry, as she ends up going by. Her character arc might be one of my favorites I’ve read in a long time…and I refuse to spoil it in any way. All I’ll say is I love that the book is written via her diary entries and that is how we “meet” the other characters, but they still are as vivid as Henry.
I loved this one and cannot wait to see what both the author and the publisher do next!!
My reviews can also be found on my blog: Always With A Book
July 14, 2026
NETGALLEY ARC, publishing July 26, 2026
From the synopsis of this book, I knew I was going to have a good time. And I did. But the repetition dragged this down for me. Way down.
I was 💯invested until around 70% when everything kept repeating itself along with gratuitous blood and guts.
The author is on to something. (Was on to something?) Because this could have gone in SO MANY incredible ways and it just didn’t for me.
I wanted so badly to rate this higher because, on paper it’s everything I want. And I am all for a story of a woman liberating herself.
One thing I DID appreciate about this story is that it never went into sexual acts. Sexuality was hinted at but never explicitly detailed.
If you’re into warrior nuns, fell beasts, snowy landscapes, and feminine rage, you will love this. But be ready for the repetition.
QUOTE: “Cosmopolitan society, she archly explained, is not necessary to the cultivation of true intelligence.”
From the synopsis of this book, I knew I was going to have a good time. And I did. But the repetition dragged this down for me. Way down.
I was 💯invested until around 70% when everything kept repeating itself along with gratuitous blood and guts.
The author is on to something. (Was on to something?) Because this could have gone in SO MANY incredible ways and it just didn’t for me.
I wanted so badly to rate this higher because, on paper it’s everything I want. And I am all for a story of a woman liberating herself.
One thing I DID appreciate about this story is that it never went into sexual acts. Sexuality was hinted at but never explicitly detailed.
If you’re into warrior nuns, fell beasts, snowy landscapes, and feminine rage, you will love this. But be ready for the repetition.
QUOTE: “Cosmopolitan society, she archly explained, is not necessary to the cultivation of true intelligence.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2026
1887 Berkshire. A convent isolated by winter, unprecedented snow but continuing their normal life under the dictatorial supervision of Mother Superior.
Their lives are disrupted by the appearance of beasts of almost demonic proportions and appearance. Their lives are nuns are attacked and with the initial deaths, the group of quiet nuns turn into a fighting force, they become the hunters and unleash almost super human power on the destruction of these beasts.
The story is loud and violent and the setting was epic. Related by Henrietta who has been dumped there by her husband (convents were convenient places to get rid of unwanted relatives) and she describes each encounter really well.
Their lives are disrupted by the appearance of beasts of almost demonic proportions and appearance. Their lives are nuns are attacked and with the initial deaths, the group of quiet nuns turn into a fighting force, they become the hunters and unleash almost super human power on the destruction of these beasts.
The story is loud and violent and the setting was epic. Related by Henrietta who has been dumped there by her husband (convents were convenient places to get rid of unwanted relatives) and she describes each encounter really well.
July 12, 2026
If what you were looking for is a novel that delivers on sheer pulpy mayhem this is most definitely that. I found the characterization and writing to be a bit uneven, we vacillate between language that feels incredibly appropriate for the 19th century, setting and language that might feel more comfortable in the 21st-century, and there is a Native American character who felt uncomfortably close to the mystically wise person of color trope for my taste but there is a whole lot of bloody fun and nuns slaking their bloodLust in ways that are satisfying in the same way that a grindhouse film is.
July 29, 2026
Hail Holy Queens is like the novelization of an A24 movie that hasn't been filmed. In fact, I'm not sure that this wasn't written to inspire some indie darlings to adapt it to the screen. As a result, it's highly cinematic and has a terrific sense of pacing. I like the characters, the scares, and the themes. But there's something about the epistolic nature of the book that just doesn't work for me. The language keeps shifting: from archaic to almost modern-sounding, and it's pretty jarring. Having said that, this is an author I'm definitely going to read more frequently in future.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I read this and provided a blurb, which I will supply below. In addition, I want to say that this book is a fantastic read. I highly recommend it.
In Hail Holy Queens, Chris McGinley accomplishes something strange, different, and wildly entertaining. A retelling of a war between a convent of nuns and a mysterious, mind-controlling pack of beasts, this story will delight your sense of curiosity and ultimately transform you. Dark, mysterious, and a little sinister, Hail Holy Queens delivers.
In Hail Holy Queens, Chris McGinley accomplishes something strange, different, and wildly entertaining. A retelling of a war between a convent of nuns and a mysterious, mind-controlling pack of beasts, this story will delight your sense of curiosity and ultimately transform you. Dark, mysterious, and a little sinister, Hail Holy Queens delivers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I think this is one of the most violent books I've ever read, and the contrast between this hyper violence and the constant religious craze the characters were in made for a weird experience.
I liked it overall, but I had to stop at several moments just to ask myself what I just read.
I think this is a solid horror story, but definitely not for everyone.
It might be for you if you like graphic gore, supernatural beasts, and crazed nuns drunk on their own liquor.
I liked it overall, but I had to stop at several moments just to ask myself what I just read.
I think this is a solid horror story, but definitely not for everyone.
It might be for you if you like graphic gore, supernatural beasts, and crazed nuns drunk on their own liquor.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I am the publisher of this gothic horror novel. It is Fringe Press’s debut and we couldn’t be more proud for it to be out there in the world.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
An absolutely STELLAR gothic horror from author Chris McGinley. Can’t wait to see what he (and Fringe Press) releases next!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I loved Hail Holy Queens by Chris McGinley. Told from the perspective of our unlikely heroine, the book is a fast read with a story that becomes more strange and frightening as you continue to read the diary entries of a woman that finds herself on a 'mission from god' to help protect the townsfolk and her fellow nuns from unusual creatures that are not wolves, not wolverines, but something...else. Something demonic. Throw in the mysterious appearance and guidance of the 'Long Nun', this book has it all, adventure, comradery, horror, and badass nuns.
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