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The Girl in the Video
From the creator of This is Horror comes a new nightmare for the digital age.
After a teacher receives a weirdly arousing video, his life descends into paranoia and obsession. More videos follow - each containing information no stranger could possibly know. But who's sending them? And what do they want? The answers may destroy everything and everyone he loves.
The Girl in the Video is The Ring meets Fatal Attraction for the iPhone generation.
After a teacher receives a weirdly arousing video, his life descends into paranoia and obsession. More videos follow - each containing information no stranger could possibly know. But who's sending them? And what do they want? The answers may destroy everything and everyone he loves.
The Girl in the Video is The Ring meets Fatal Attraction for the iPhone generation.
71 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 28, 2020
11 people are currently reading
1333 people want to read
About the author
Michael David Wilson
16 books107 followersMichael David Wilson is the founder of the popular UK horror website, podcast, and publisher, This Is Horror. Michael is the author of the novella, The Girl in the Video, and the novel, They’re Watching, co-written with Bob Pastorella. His work has appeared in various publications including The NoSleep Podcast, Dim Shores, Dark Moon Digest, and Hawk & Cleaver’s The Other Stories. Michael lives in Gifu, Japan. You can connect with Michael on Twitter @thisishorror. For more information visit www.michaeldavidwilson.co.uk.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
October 7, 2020
Frankly, all the concept of digistalking horror is a bit lost on me: I can't imagine being tickled enough by any notifications to pay to them attention. Who are these people who have both patience and time for that?
Just check this out:
Q:
As soon as I turned the Wi-Fi on, the messages started flooding in, and the morning went to shit. Pro tip: if you want a chilled morning don’t turn the fucking Wi-Fi on.
First it was Instagram, a comment on my most recent photograph, a well-lit shot of the burger I’d had at Shake Tree: “Tell me what you like.”
Then it was a direct message via Twitter: “Tell me what you like.”
Next it was a Facebook inbox message, which surprised me the most as I’d thought my privacy settings were maxed out, but whatever. “Tell me what you like.”
Line: “Tell me what you like.”
WhatsApp: “Tell me what you like.”
Skype: “Tell me what you like.”
Pinterest: “Tell me what you like.” (c)
Q:
“One of your mates from uni, perhaps?”
“We were pretty dark, but this is a bit much. Besides, our idea of a joke was changing the desktop background to an extreme image or video. Goatse, lemon party, tubgirl, swap.avi—”
“All right, all right. Stop listing the websites already, you’re making me picture them, you bastard.”
“Blue waffle . . . ” (c)
Of course, the rest: the girl from the Call vibes, the kid massacre and the crazy stalker gone trippy are quite a lot more horror-loaded.
My main gripe is the thing that often happens with horror stories: they are ultimately a story of horror, for the sake of horror, without any subplots, any devlopments that would've been expected in pretty much any other genre...
The final decision was a big letdown. Unexpected but not in a good way.
Just check this out:
Q:
As soon as I turned the Wi-Fi on, the messages started flooding in, and the morning went to shit. Pro tip: if you want a chilled morning don’t turn the fucking Wi-Fi on.
First it was Instagram, a comment on my most recent photograph, a well-lit shot of the burger I’d had at Shake Tree: “Tell me what you like.”
Then it was a direct message via Twitter: “Tell me what you like.”
Next it was a Facebook inbox message, which surprised me the most as I’d thought my privacy settings were maxed out, but whatever. “Tell me what you like.”
Line: “Tell me what you like.”
WhatsApp: “Tell me what you like.”
Skype: “Tell me what you like.”
Pinterest: “Tell me what you like.” (c)
Q:
“One of your mates from uni, perhaps?”
“We were pretty dark, but this is a bit much. Besides, our idea of a joke was changing the desktop background to an extreme image or video. Goatse, lemon party, tubgirl, swap.avi—”
“All right, all right. Stop listing the websites already, you’re making me picture them, you bastard.”
“Blue waffle . . . ” (c)
Of course, the rest: the girl from the Call vibes, the kid massacre and the crazy stalker gone trippy are quite a lot more horror-loaded.
My main gripe is the thing that often happens with horror stories: they are ultimately a story of horror, for the sake of horror, without any subplots, any devlopments that would've been expected in pretty much any other genre...
The final decision was a big letdown. Unexpected but not in a good way.
April 29, 2020
4.5 Stars
As someone who loves contemporary horror that incorporates modern technology and social media, I was eager to pick up this book and it did not disappoint! This was exactly the creepy little story I needed to read. I loved the details related to the couple’s relationship as they try to start a family. Likewise, the Japanese elements brought a rich layer of culture to the story, especially with the comparisons to books like The Ring.
As a novella, I thought this was the perfect length. The story held my attention the entire time and maintained a good level of suspense. I found myself caring for the characters and worrying for their well-being.
I would highly recommend this one to any horror fans who want to spiral down a rabbit hole of the creepy side of the internet.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this one from the publisher for review.
As someone who loves contemporary horror that incorporates modern technology and social media, I was eager to pick up this book and it did not disappoint! This was exactly the creepy little story I needed to read. I loved the details related to the couple’s relationship as they try to start a family. Likewise, the Japanese elements brought a rich layer of culture to the story, especially with the comparisons to books like The Ring.
As a novella, I thought this was the perfect length. The story held my attention the entire time and maintained a good level of suspense. I found myself caring for the characters and worrying for their well-being.
I would highly recommend this one to any horror fans who want to spiral down a rabbit hole of the creepy side of the internet.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this one from the publisher for review.
June 9, 2020
don’t open links from strangers.
This is a psychological thriller for the computer age.
An Englishman in Japan. Freddie (the story told strictly through Freddie’s eyes) makes a very stupid decision early on as he clicks a spam link. It’s an impulsive decision, but rather than infecting his computer with a nasty virus, the cryptic video of a dancing girl will instead upend Freddie’s entire life, potentially destroy his marriage, and quite possibly cost him his life as he becomes embroiled in a dangerous psychodrama with a deadly, and anonymous, adversary.
This is a psychological thriller for the computer age.
An Englishman in Japan. Freddie (the story told strictly through Freddie’s eyes) makes a very stupid decision early on as he clicks a spam link. It’s an impulsive decision, but rather than infecting his computer with a nasty virus, the cryptic video of a dancing girl will instead upend Freddie’s entire life, potentially destroy his marriage, and quite possibly cost him his life as he becomes embroiled in a dangerous psychodrama with a deadly, and anonymous, adversary.
April 28, 2020
Review originally posted to Cemetery Dance April 13th, 2020
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
We all know Michael David Wilson from the infamous podcast, This is Horror. Michael is the one with the exceptionally wonderful British accent. If you haven’t listened to an episode, question what it is about your life that needs assistance and then at least start listening to This is Horror on a regular basis. It’s a great way to get your life back on track.
The Girl in the Video is Wilson’s first published book of any kind and I know exactly why Max Booth III picked it up for Perpetual Motion Machine…
Pssst…because it’s awesome.
This book is seventy-one pages long so the potential to spoil a reader’s discovery is real and I will not be “that person.” The official synopsis is brief, so I will be too:
A married man gets an unusual video sent to his private messages on social media. He succumbs to curiosity (as so many of us would) and watches the video. Unfortunately, the contents of the video demand more from him than just his casual curiosity and the whole situation spirals out of control.
This book.
First of all, it struck me as a cautionary tale to us all. The internet is a wild and weird place. It brings people from all over the globe into this tiny universe where you can have access to anyone, literally anyone, with just one click. Which, in the right hands, can be a great thing. But like everything else in the world, a few “bad apples” can spoil the bunch.
Very rotten, bruised apples.
If you’re like me and you endured the Netflix documentary, Don’t F*ck With Cats, you know as well as I do how easy it is for people with too much time on their hands to find out a lot of information about someone — right down to exactly where a person lives just by digging around on social media. Also, equipped with the simple camera installed on a smartphone, mentally unstable and harmful individuals can do so much damage in a really short amount of time; a terrifying and shocking reality.
These are the horrifying facts at work in The Girl in the Video. It’s hard to bear witness to everything that happens in this dark story. I wanted to reach through the pages and scream a voice of reason or warning so many times, which is a sign that I was emotionally invested and a sign of brilliant storytelling.
Fans of cyber-horror, stalker thrillers, and edge-of-your-seat drama will want to pick this one up and binge-read it immediately upon release. Tuck Michael David Wilson’s name in your pocket for future reads as well because I’m sure there’s more to come.
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
We all know Michael David Wilson from the infamous podcast, This is Horror. Michael is the one with the exceptionally wonderful British accent. If you haven’t listened to an episode, question what it is about your life that needs assistance and then at least start listening to This is Horror on a regular basis. It’s a great way to get your life back on track.
The Girl in the Video is Wilson’s first published book of any kind and I know exactly why Max Booth III picked it up for Perpetual Motion Machine…
Pssst…because it’s awesome.
This book is seventy-one pages long so the potential to spoil a reader’s discovery is real and I will not be “that person.” The official synopsis is brief, so I will be too:
A married man gets an unusual video sent to his private messages on social media. He succumbs to curiosity (as so many of us would) and watches the video. Unfortunately, the contents of the video demand more from him than just his casual curiosity and the whole situation spirals out of control.
This book.
First of all, it struck me as a cautionary tale to us all. The internet is a wild and weird place. It brings people from all over the globe into this tiny universe where you can have access to anyone, literally anyone, with just one click. Which, in the right hands, can be a great thing. But like everything else in the world, a few “bad apples” can spoil the bunch.
Very rotten, bruised apples.
If you’re like me and you endured the Netflix documentary, Don’t F*ck With Cats, you know as well as I do how easy it is for people with too much time on their hands to find out a lot of information about someone — right down to exactly where a person lives just by digging around on social media. Also, equipped with the simple camera installed on a smartphone, mentally unstable and harmful individuals can do so much damage in a really short amount of time; a terrifying and shocking reality.
These are the horrifying facts at work in The Girl in the Video. It’s hard to bear witness to everything that happens in this dark story. I wanted to reach through the pages and scream a voice of reason or warning so many times, which is a sign that I was emotionally invested and a sign of brilliant storytelling.
Fans of cyber-horror, stalker thrillers, and edge-of-your-seat drama will want to pick this one up and binge-read it immediately upon release. Tuck Michael David Wilson’s name in your pocket for future reads as well because I’m sure there’s more to come.
May 3, 2020
I love horror that centers heavily on technology or the internet, so this should've been right up my alley, but unfortunately, I wasn't a big fan. The writing showcases definite talent, but I couldn't seem to connect to what was happening well enough to care much about the outcome. The main character was tremendously unlikable for me, and the decision he made at the end was nothing short of irritating, leaving me feeling like I'd wasted the time I spent on the novella as a whole. I would definitely try other work from this author in the future, but sadly, this story was a pretty big letdown!
April 22, 2020
I love novellas. I'm sure I'm not the first person to say this, but I think of the really good ones as "all killer and no filler". I would definitely use that phrase to describe THE GIRL IN THE VIDEO.
Freddie and Rachel are married British expats living in Japan. One morning Freddie makes a massively bad decision and opens a link in an Instagram DM. He watches a short video with a strange woman wearing a Hello Kitty mask. Weird and slightly arousing, Freddie doesn't worry too much about the video, but as he continues to receive increasingly disturbing videos from the same masked woman, videos that prove she knows much more about him than he knows about her, Freddie's anxiety begins to rise. He even starts to have horrible nightmares that he can't remember. Then after a horrendously vicious act by the mysterious woman, the videos stop. But is Freddie finally free of the girl in the video?
This story is an excellent reflection on social media and all the fears we often feel when we realize that anyone can pretty much access most of a person's information online. We live in a society where cyberstalking is a new reality, and often times a very dangerous one. Michael David Wilson expertly taps into those fears with a story that will stay burned in my memory for quite a while. I will never look at Hello Kitty the same way.
Freddie and Rachel are married British expats living in Japan. One morning Freddie makes a massively bad decision and opens a link in an Instagram DM. He watches a short video with a strange woman wearing a Hello Kitty mask. Weird and slightly arousing, Freddie doesn't worry too much about the video, but as he continues to receive increasingly disturbing videos from the same masked woman, videos that prove she knows much more about him than he knows about her, Freddie's anxiety begins to rise. He even starts to have horrible nightmares that he can't remember. Then after a horrendously vicious act by the mysterious woman, the videos stop. But is Freddie finally free of the girl in the video?
This story is an excellent reflection on social media and all the fears we often feel when we realize that anyone can pretty much access most of a person's information online. We live in a society where cyberstalking is a new reality, and often times a very dangerous one. Michael David Wilson expertly taps into those fears with a story that will stay burned in my memory for quite a while. I will never look at Hello Kitty the same way.
April 11, 2020
"It was as if the video had unzipped my skin, slunk inside my tapered flesh, and become one with me."
The Girl in the Video is an intriguing horror novella by the creator of the This is Horror podcast, Michael David Wilson. I had a lot of fun reading this one! There's a solid creepy buildup, and I was hooked on this story. I love video / movie horror, and this was a great read along with stories like The Visible Filth by Nathan Ballingrud and Aperture by Tim Meyer. I would absolutely love to see more in this sub-genre.
I was hoping that there would be a little more information about everything that was going on, but it wrapped up well enough to at least feel like a completely story. I found myself wishing it was longer. My only other issue was that the book was set in Japan, but I think the only Japanese character was the villain. I wish there would have been more balance.
I enjoyed The Girl in the Video overall, and I hope to read more from Michael David Wilson in the future!
CW - death of children, suicide, stalking
The Girl in the Video is an intriguing horror novella by the creator of the This is Horror podcast, Michael David Wilson. I had a lot of fun reading this one! There's a solid creepy buildup, and I was hooked on this story. I love video / movie horror, and this was a great read along with stories like The Visible Filth by Nathan Ballingrud and Aperture by Tim Meyer. I would absolutely love to see more in this sub-genre.
I was hoping that there would be a little more information about everything that was going on, but it wrapped up well enough to at least feel like a completely story. I found myself wishing it was longer. My only other issue was that the book was set in Japan, but I think the only Japanese character was the villain. I wish there would have been more balance.
I enjoyed The Girl in the Video overall, and I hope to read more from Michael David Wilson in the future!
CW - death of children, suicide, stalking
August 12, 2020
What a great horror/thriller novel. It's short because there's no filler. Every scene is either super creepy or horrific or thrilling. It's basically about social media and stalking and sharing too much info online. More people should read this book!
January 27, 2020
This novella is something special. Funny, creepy, tense, emotional. The final line. Fuck. Review to come.
February 7, 2020
My review of THE GIRL IN THE VIDEO can be found at High Fever Books.
In Michael David Wilson’s debut novella, The Girl in the Video, Freddie makes a very stupid decision early on — he clicks a spam link. It’s an impulsive decision, but rather than infecting his computer with a nasty virus, the cryptic video of a dancing girl will instead upend Freddie’s entire life, potentially destroy his marriage, and quite possibly cost him his life as he becomes embroiled in a dangerous psychodrama with a deadly, and anonymous, adversary.
The Girl in the Video is a deft bit of suspense for the Internet age, drawing on our state of interconnectedness that exists between strangers, sometimes unknowingly, and exploring issues of obsession. We live in a world where any individual can access a wealth of information about their friends, neighbors, family, celebrities, co-workers, and virtually anyone else they come into contact with, and it’s only a few mouse-clicks and taps on the keyboard away. Notions about Internet security and privacy settings on social media profiles are typically a false comfort at best, and there are always ways to circumvent those controls for those willing to try.
Wilson captures this state of paranoia beautifully, and Freddie is a realistically drawn figure. Who hasn’t accidentally clicked a link when they were trying to swipe away from a page or an e-mail, or perhaps done so impulsively, letting their curiosity get the better of them? We can scoff at Freddie, say he should have known better, and circle down the drain of blaming the victim, but his mistake is an honest and simple one. That he returns to the personalized video supposedly made just for him over and over is perhaps a little less forgivable, but still relatable. The poorly staged dance of the woman in the Hello Kitty mask is more curious than erotic, and Freddie certainly lets his curiosity get the better of him. Of course, it’s also a Trojan Horse, opening the door for his pursuer to gain further access to him and his life.
It’s a beautifully constructed reminder of why you don’t open links from strangers, or even those sent to you by surprise. Where Wilson takes it, though, counterbalancing the twin stories of obsession as seen through Freddie’s eyes, is dark and deeply unsettling. Everything Freddie does to try and find out who his mystery cyber stalker is provides a sterling example of how every action has an opposite and equal reaction. He tries to find more information on her and she, in turns, proves to him how much she can find out about him and his history, and how close she can get to him while he’s none the wiser. It’s frightening stuff, a sort of Fatal Attraction for the online era.
The Girl in the Video is a quickly paced novella, and playing further on the concepts of falsity and anonymity that go hand-in-hand with the Internet is Wilson’s adherence to ambiguity. While we do get answers to many of the questions raised, they’re not entirely satisfying and provide deeper, more chilling insights into the circumstances Freddie has fallen into. For every answer we get, another question is raised, and the reader is left to speculate on the true nature of what’s been presented. With the story told strictly through Freddie’s eyes, we’re forced to question just how reliable a narrator he really is. I couldn’t help but wonder several times throughout just how open and honest he was being. What kind of secrets is he keeping, and what history may be buried, if any at all? Whose truth are we to believe in this prolonged game of online catfishing?
Wilson delivers a strong, twisty narrative that provides plenty of tension, some well-earned shocks, and a whole lot of creepiness thanks to the girl in the video and the questionable uncertainty of what is real and what has been manufactured. This is a psychological thriller for the Internet Age, and Wilson taps into the questionable mores and the lines that can all too easily be crossed in our online lives.
In Michael David Wilson’s debut novella, The Girl in the Video, Freddie makes a very stupid decision early on — he clicks a spam link. It’s an impulsive decision, but rather than infecting his computer with a nasty virus, the cryptic video of a dancing girl will instead upend Freddie’s entire life, potentially destroy his marriage, and quite possibly cost him his life as he becomes embroiled in a dangerous psychodrama with a deadly, and anonymous, adversary.
The Girl in the Video is a deft bit of suspense for the Internet age, drawing on our state of interconnectedness that exists between strangers, sometimes unknowingly, and exploring issues of obsession. We live in a world where any individual can access a wealth of information about their friends, neighbors, family, celebrities, co-workers, and virtually anyone else they come into contact with, and it’s only a few mouse-clicks and taps on the keyboard away. Notions about Internet security and privacy settings on social media profiles are typically a false comfort at best, and there are always ways to circumvent those controls for those willing to try.
Wilson captures this state of paranoia beautifully, and Freddie is a realistically drawn figure. Who hasn’t accidentally clicked a link when they were trying to swipe away from a page or an e-mail, or perhaps done so impulsively, letting their curiosity get the better of them? We can scoff at Freddie, say he should have known better, and circle down the drain of blaming the victim, but his mistake is an honest and simple one. That he returns to the personalized video supposedly made just for him over and over is perhaps a little less forgivable, but still relatable. The poorly staged dance of the woman in the Hello Kitty mask is more curious than erotic, and Freddie certainly lets his curiosity get the better of him. Of course, it’s also a Trojan Horse, opening the door for his pursuer to gain further access to him and his life.
It’s a beautifully constructed reminder of why you don’t open links from strangers, or even those sent to you by surprise. Where Wilson takes it, though, counterbalancing the twin stories of obsession as seen through Freddie’s eyes, is dark and deeply unsettling. Everything Freddie does to try and find out who his mystery cyber stalker is provides a sterling example of how every action has an opposite and equal reaction. He tries to find more information on her and she, in turns, proves to him how much she can find out about him and his history, and how close she can get to him while he’s none the wiser. It’s frightening stuff, a sort of Fatal Attraction for the online era.
The Girl in the Video is a quickly paced novella, and playing further on the concepts of falsity and anonymity that go hand-in-hand with the Internet is Wilson’s adherence to ambiguity. While we do get answers to many of the questions raised, they’re not entirely satisfying and provide deeper, more chilling insights into the circumstances Freddie has fallen into. For every answer we get, another question is raised, and the reader is left to speculate on the true nature of what’s been presented. With the story told strictly through Freddie’s eyes, we’re forced to question just how reliable a narrator he really is. I couldn’t help but wonder several times throughout just how open and honest he was being. What kind of secrets is he keeping, and what history may be buried, if any at all? Whose truth are we to believe in this prolonged game of online catfishing?
Wilson delivers a strong, twisty narrative that provides plenty of tension, some well-earned shocks, and a whole lot of creepiness thanks to the girl in the video and the questionable uncertainty of what is real and what has been manufactured. This is a psychological thriller for the Internet Age, and Wilson taps into the questionable mores and the lines that can all too easily be crossed in our online lives.
May 14, 2020
Michael David Wilson is the founder of “This is Horror,” a website, publisher, and podcast that focuses on all of the greatest horror writing, reading, and reviewing that any horror fan can dream of. He is the host of the podcast with the same name, and if you are not familiar with the podcast, at least listen long enough for the way that he says, “This is Horror”, because he is from England so his pronunciation of “horror” is gorgeous. Also while listening to the podcast, I picture a thin guy with a beard or goatee, a bald head, and piercing eyes. These are all true, and if I lived near him, I would try to be his drinking buddy.
But alas, I’m not. We barely exist on the same plane. He has a strong reputation after years and years of working in the horror community, to the point where I heard more than one person be shocked that “The Girl in the Video” is his first novella. “The Girl in the Video” is getting a great deal of notice because of the reputation of Wilson but also because it is a damn good little novella. Published by Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing, “The Girl in the Video” is something you can read in one sitting and want to devour because the story moves so seamlessly. The novella opens with the main character, Freddie, receiving a video through his Instagram account of a girl wearing a Hello Kitty mask. The video changes him, and as more videos appear, Freddie gets sucked into the mystery that quickly becomes a horror. The pace moves swiftly, but there are no moments where the reader loses the plot (which can happen easily in novellas this short). I like all of the characters, and I really like how Freddy includes his wife in the things that are going on with him. It feels like there are many books where the plot is the husband (or wife) hiding the outside drama from his partner, but in this novel, there is none of that. Rachel is his ally from the moment he tells her about it all, and this makes for an ending that is a team against the girl in the video instead of a man against the girl in the video against having his partner knowing what is going on. Fiction in general is filled with marital strife, and it is refreshing to read a story that does not use this as a plot point.
I probably would have never read this if Michael David Wilson was not on the Bizzong! podcast with Mr. Frank. Listening to him talk about his career and the way this book came about was really intriguing. If it was not for him talking about this, I would have passed on “The Girl in the Video.” There are so many titles with “girl” in the title that involve some sort of violence toward that said girl that I have lost interest in this type of story. However. This is not the case. The “Girl in the Video” is a fun, tense, pop culture filled ride that I’m ready to take again. I do not hesitate to recommend this or to preorder his next work. Or buy him a beer if I ever run into him.
But alas, I’m not. We barely exist on the same plane. He has a strong reputation after years and years of working in the horror community, to the point where I heard more than one person be shocked that “The Girl in the Video” is his first novella. “The Girl in the Video” is getting a great deal of notice because of the reputation of Wilson but also because it is a damn good little novella. Published by Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing, “The Girl in the Video” is something you can read in one sitting and want to devour because the story moves so seamlessly. The novella opens with the main character, Freddie, receiving a video through his Instagram account of a girl wearing a Hello Kitty mask. The video changes him, and as more videos appear, Freddie gets sucked into the mystery that quickly becomes a horror. The pace moves swiftly, but there are no moments where the reader loses the plot (which can happen easily in novellas this short). I like all of the characters, and I really like how Freddy includes his wife in the things that are going on with him. It feels like there are many books where the plot is the husband (or wife) hiding the outside drama from his partner, but in this novel, there is none of that. Rachel is his ally from the moment he tells her about it all, and this makes for an ending that is a team against the girl in the video instead of a man against the girl in the video against having his partner knowing what is going on. Fiction in general is filled with marital strife, and it is refreshing to read a story that does not use this as a plot point.
I probably would have never read this if Michael David Wilson was not on the Bizzong! podcast with Mr. Frank. Listening to him talk about his career and the way this book came about was really intriguing. If it was not for him talking about this, I would have passed on “The Girl in the Video.” There are so many titles with “girl” in the title that involve some sort of violence toward that said girl that I have lost interest in this type of story. However. This is not the case. The “Girl in the Video” is a fun, tense, pop culture filled ride that I’m ready to take again. I do not hesitate to recommend this or to preorder his next work. Or buy him a beer if I ever run into him.
April 2, 2020
The Girl In The Video is a novella by Michael David Wilson. If you’re unaware as to who he is, you really should check out his podcast, This Is Horror. There you will find a lot of great interviews with your favourite horror authors.
Moving on to the novella, the story starts with a married couple, Rachel and Freddie, eating breakfast. Freddie gets a message on Instagram (I think it was Instagram) showing a video of a girl in fishnets wearing a Hello Kitty cardboard cutout on her face. This video, along with the others that come later, are weird, sexual, and violent. Freddie continues to watch them as they come out of curiosity and, more and more, out of fear.
Who is this person. What does she want?
As the pieces slowly come together, Freddie finds himself trapped in a bizarre and terrifying case of online stalking. What really moved me in this one was all the clever and frightening ways one can be stalked with today’s internet technology.
This is truly what makes this story scary. That this could, and has, happen.
The characters are all fairly well drawn out, and I also enjoyed, and was surprised by, the humour and the music of this book. Definitely check it out. I was able to read it in one or two sittings, and I enjoyed myself the entire time. I’m looking forward to reading more from Michael David Wilson.
Moving on to the novella, the story starts with a married couple, Rachel and Freddie, eating breakfast. Freddie gets a message on Instagram (I think it was Instagram) showing a video of a girl in fishnets wearing a Hello Kitty cardboard cutout on her face. This video, along with the others that come later, are weird, sexual, and violent. Freddie continues to watch them as they come out of curiosity and, more and more, out of fear.
Who is this person. What does she want?
As the pieces slowly come together, Freddie finds himself trapped in a bizarre and terrifying case of online stalking. What really moved me in this one was all the clever and frightening ways one can be stalked with today’s internet technology.
This is truly what makes this story scary. That this could, and has, happen.
The characters are all fairly well drawn out, and I also enjoyed, and was surprised by, the humour and the music of this book. Definitely check it out. I was able to read it in one or two sittings, and I enjoyed myself the entire time. I’m looking forward to reading more from Michael David Wilson.
June 22, 2020
The Girl in the Video is a contemporary thriller in which an English teacher living in Japan is sent a link to a strange video, this is followed by more increasingly weirder videos from this mysterious person.
I read this in one go as I didn’t want to put this down; I was on the edge of my seat throughout as the story unfolded at a fast pace. I don’t want to say more about this book as it’s pretty short and easy to spoil, what I will do is highly recommend it! It’s a tense, unnerving read that’ll utterly captivate you, I look forward to reading more of Michael's work.
I read this in one go as I didn’t want to put this down; I was on the edge of my seat throughout as the story unfolded at a fast pace. I don’t want to say more about this book as it’s pretty short and easy to spoil, what I will do is highly recommend it! It’s a tense, unnerving read that’ll utterly captivate you, I look forward to reading more of Michael's work.
January 26, 2020
I received an ARC from MDW, and now I hate him.
The ultimate compliment a reader can give to an author is that they read the book in one sitting. I did just that. I read past my bedtime, I read into the night, I'm tired, but I have no regrets about being swept away with this story.
MDW manages to pull you in from the start, taking ahold of your collar and dragging you along the journey. You connect with the realness of the characters and can easily put yourself in their shoes. The best kinds of horror (for me) are those which are within reach, things which could truly happen in reality, and that's exactly what this is. We've all received the links we shouldn't have clicked, but we do, and we don't know why.
The Girl in the Video kicks off 2020 splendidly for me, giving me hope that there are some gems of well-crafted horror novellas to be had in this current decade. If this is the start of things to come, then we're off to a great start.
Compelling, gripping, and digs into the very marrow of our technological reality. The Girl in the Video is not one to miss.
Highly recommend—can you tell?
The ultimate compliment a reader can give to an author is that they read the book in one sitting. I did just that. I read past my bedtime, I read into the night, I'm tired, but I have no regrets about being swept away with this story.
MDW manages to pull you in from the start, taking ahold of your collar and dragging you along the journey. You connect with the realness of the characters and can easily put yourself in their shoes. The best kinds of horror (for me) are those which are within reach, things which could truly happen in reality, and that's exactly what this is. We've all received the links we shouldn't have clicked, but we do, and we don't know why.
The Girl in the Video kicks off 2020 splendidly for me, giving me hope that there are some gems of well-crafted horror novellas to be had in this current decade. If this is the start of things to come, then we're off to a great start.
Compelling, gripping, and digs into the very marrow of our technological reality. The Girl in the Video is not one to miss.
Highly recommend—can you tell?
July 16, 2021
Some glimpses of something truly horrific blurred out in the white noise of an uneven pace, jarringly artificial dialogue, and a narrative voice not equipped at all to tackle the ambitious premise at such a short length. Some descriptions seem out of place, not fully married to the characters. Overall, it seemed confused, but I can appreciate the true inventiveness behind its concept.
January 23, 2020
Compelling, tense, and disturbing, MDW has created a frightening story here that's only too possible in our over-connected world.
July 3, 2020
Review to come
January 2, 2021
"Tell me what you like."
A super quick and fun read on the perils of social media. In this digital age, pretty much all of your information is out there... whether it's voluntary or not. And when someone can stalk you from the comfort of their home... how creepy is THAT?!
Lesson learned: never click on a link sent to you from someone you don't know. I feel like this should be common sense but curiosity doesn't just kill the cat. I really loved how this one quickly spiraled. I mean, as a novella you expect it to go fast but the pacing of this was exactly the speed I needed. Some super creepy moments where I wish it got even MORE creepy. I think I kept expecting it to go one way and it didn't quite cross that line.
If you need a quick, hair-raising story to read, then I do highly recommend this one. Weirdly though, for me, the wife was the creepiest thing about this story and I would've liked just a little more meat to the short pages of the ending. However, I def did get the goosies and would love to read more creepy/video horror.
3.5 rounding up for GR.
A super quick and fun read on the perils of social media. In this digital age, pretty much all of your information is out there... whether it's voluntary or not. And when someone can stalk you from the comfort of their home... how creepy is THAT?!
Lesson learned: never click on a link sent to you from someone you don't know. I feel like this should be common sense but curiosity doesn't just kill the cat. I really loved how this one quickly spiraled. I mean, as a novella you expect it to go fast but the pacing of this was exactly the speed I needed. Some super creepy moments where I wish it got even MORE creepy. I think I kept expecting it to go one way and it didn't quite cross that line.
If you need a quick, hair-raising story to read, then I do highly recommend this one. Weirdly though, for me, the wife was the creepiest thing about this story and I would've liked just a little more meat to the short pages of the ending. However, I def did get the goosies and would love to read more creepy/video horror.
3.5 rounding up for GR.
May 10, 2020
This is a wicked little story that stays with you. Not a word or page wasted. I got some Black Mirror vibes reading this. Good Black Mirror vibes too, like seasons 1 and 2 good.
October 8, 2020
This book is short, perfectly paced, weird and creepy. I'm still not sure how I feel about the ending, but I couldn't put the book down until I finished it.
July 18, 2020
Creepy enough to keep up the pace. But what I really liked about this story (besides the Japanese setting) was that the characters were so relatable and hapless. And you're put straight into the driver's seat, feeling the main character's confusion and vulnerability as the digital terror escalates. It certainly made me want to think about going off the grid.
April 23, 2020
Thank you to Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing and the author for sending me this advanced copy of The Girl in the Video 😊.
Michael David Wilson’s debut novella is a frighteningly realistic portrayal of how social media can cause profound and irreparable damage to the human psyche.
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The Girl in the Video is about a teacher who receives a series of strange videos and messages, each one becoming stranger and more personal. With each video a damaging trail of emotions from arousal to paranoia to pure terror is left, pushing the main character to his ultimate breaking point.
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I think the most disturbing part of this story is the vulnerability of the main character. That in itself is horrific enough. Michaels writing does a great job of making you feel what the characters feel and I enjoyed the personal touches and experiences he left throughout the book. I think this story will stick with the reader after the final page has been turned.
Look for this Novella our April 28th or preorder now!
Michael David Wilson’s debut novella is a frighteningly realistic portrayal of how social media can cause profound and irreparable damage to the human psyche.
—-
The Girl in the Video is about a teacher who receives a series of strange videos and messages, each one becoming stranger and more personal. With each video a damaging trail of emotions from arousal to paranoia to pure terror is left, pushing the main character to his ultimate breaking point.
—-
I think the most disturbing part of this story is the vulnerability of the main character. That in itself is horrific enough. Michaels writing does a great job of making you feel what the characters feel and I enjoyed the personal touches and experiences he left throughout the book. I think this story will stick with the reader after the final page has been turned.
Look for this Novella our April 28th or preorder now!
March 22, 2020
Oh my gosh. From the first page, I was hooked. You dont just give me a Lady Gaga reference and expect me to turn away!!?? NEVER! My heart was POUNDING until the very last page. I had a 6 year old talking my ear off the whole time and I still couldn't put this book down. Devoured in one sitting. It's shocking and unique. LOVED.
May 18, 2020
A quick read with real insight into how easily people can be pulled into a mystery. The reader alongside! I found the twist in our expectations on young women and male figures of authority here deeper upon reflection, and the portrayal of an open and communicative relationship refreshing. Too many people rely on wrung out tropes so this had originality.
March 23, 2020
This was a quick, dark story that seemed all too real.
How do you tell if that anonymous video you just watched is a funny prank or a sinister obsessed stalker? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: they know what you like and they like you...enough to kill!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!
How do you tell if that anonymous video you just watched is a funny prank or a sinister obsessed stalker? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: they know what you like and they like you...enough to kill!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!
October 12, 2023
2.5/5 stars
I was just never convinced by this plot and it left the huge question of "why" still looming.
I was just never convinced by this plot and it left the huge question of "why" still looming.
February 16, 2022
It was a good length horror novella. It takes a place in Japan, which is interesting. If this really happened, it’s quite scary. Social media can be really dangerous. Although you might not upload your personal info there, there is a chance that your friend uploads something relating to you and your friend does this without the intention to cause any harm.
It was quite disturbing. The ending…
It was quite disturbing. The ending…
May 19, 2020
At 71 pages, the entertaining The Girl in the Video is a speedy read, easily devoured in one sitting; to avoid spoilers I will be vague with the plot. Freddie is a British ex-pat who lives with his wife Rachel in Japan and teaches English to local children. He leads a relatively contented life, but it is revealed early on that the couple have been unsuccessfully trying for a baby. After ten years together – five years married – they philosophically balance the failure to conceive with the ability to spend money freely and go out on the town for nice meals and fun times.
You can read Tony's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Tony's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
May 8, 2020
First, ISN'T THIS COVER GORGEOUS? I'd been seeing it on social media prior to its release and knew that I needed to get it the second it was available. I scooped it up with an Amazon gift card for my Kindle on release day!
This is a pretty quick book - a novella at around just 100 or so pages, it starts off with a bang and doesn't let up on pacing until the very end. I was completely absorbed by this, and literally read it on my iPad while sitting awkwardly at my computer desk. I picked it up intending to just read a page or two before getting comfortable in bed, and then forgot to move because I was so engrossed! FOR OVER AN HOUR!!
There were a lot of really creepy moments throughout, and the author's talent is really obvious from the way that I could visualize all the most freaky & weird parts of this book with absolute clarity - such great descriptions!
There were a few issues with editing that I noticed while reading, and I'm not sure if these are limited to just the digital copy, or the physical ones as well. I typically don't remove stars for this (and didn't here), but want to mention it because it pulled me out of the book a couple of times. During one conversation, the main character starts off a sentence to his friend by calling him "Freddie", which is his own name and not the name of his friend. I had to reread the section multiple times because I wasn't sure if I was just misreading, and that sort of took me out of the experience a little. These issues were minor though, and didn't have an impact on the story overall.
I gave this one 3.5 stars, with a rounded up 4 on GR - I enjoyed the hell out of the first 3/4, but will be honest and admit that I really didn't like the ending. It tied up a bit too neatly and in a way that seemed to come completely out of left field. I prefer my 'big reveals' to have had scattered hints or things leading up to them that make the reveal more impactful to me as a reader, which wasn't the case here.
I also had some issues with the only female characters being written in a way I didn't find believable -- the main character's wife seemed more like a cardboard caricature than an actual person. I also struggled to believe or understand the motives behind the 'Big Bad' and their actions.
If you're looking for something to pull you from a reading slump that you can read in a single sitting or day, check THE GIRL IN THE VIDEO out! Despite the few issues I had, it was a good reading experience, and I'll absolutely be checking future releases out by the author!
This is a pretty quick book - a novella at around just 100 or so pages, it starts off with a bang and doesn't let up on pacing until the very end. I was completely absorbed by this, and literally read it on my iPad while sitting awkwardly at my computer desk. I picked it up intending to just read a page or two before getting comfortable in bed, and then forgot to move because I was so engrossed! FOR OVER AN HOUR!!
There were a lot of really creepy moments throughout, and the author's talent is really obvious from the way that I could visualize all the most freaky & weird parts of this book with absolute clarity - such great descriptions!
There were a few issues with editing that I noticed while reading, and I'm not sure if these are limited to just the digital copy, or the physical ones as well. I typically don't remove stars for this (and didn't here), but want to mention it because it pulled me out of the book a couple of times. During one conversation, the main character starts off a sentence to his friend by calling him "Freddie", which is his own name and not the name of his friend. I had to reread the section multiple times because I wasn't sure if I was just misreading, and that sort of took me out of the experience a little. These issues were minor though, and didn't have an impact on the story overall.
I gave this one 3.5 stars, with a rounded up 4 on GR - I enjoyed the hell out of the first 3/4, but will be honest and admit that I really didn't like the ending. It tied up a bit too neatly and in a way that seemed to come completely out of left field. I prefer my 'big reveals' to have had scattered hints or things leading up to them that make the reveal more impactful to me as a reader, which wasn't the case here.
I also had some issues with the only female characters being written in a way I didn't find believable -- the main character's wife seemed more like a cardboard caricature than an actual person. I also struggled to believe or understand the motives behind the 'Big Bad' and their actions.
If you're looking for something to pull you from a reading slump that you can read in a single sitting or day, check THE GIRL IN THE VIDEO out! Despite the few issues I had, it was a good reading experience, and I'll absolutely be checking future releases out by the author!
February 5, 2020
Michael David Wilson created a new fear, girls in Hello Kitty masks. If you get a random link, you probably shouldn't click on it, and if for some reason you did, if there's a girl in a Hello Kitty mask, just turn it off. Otherwise you are going to find yourself in a twisted world of increasingly haunting videos and promises of knowing what you like, which is never a good thing, and eventually go mad as you fear all technology.
But, in all seriousness, Wilson's first novella is an amazing, tense story of paranoia. He explores today's technology and what dangers can come with being connected. It's not in your face with all the social media options, but there in the way that it is really in all of our lives. I appreciated that he figured out how to work it all in and twist it into a creepy story.
Then there's his brilliant voice and his use of dialog. Wilson's voice is strong, he knows what he wants to say and puts it down on the page in such a way that we are fully on board. We know exactly who these characters are, feeling the fear when he gets a new message, the worry when things ramp up involving his wife. This also rolls into the dialog, which is some of the wittiest dialog I've seen. It's natural, quick, and reveals so much about the person speaking.
Definitely jump on this when it comes out.
But, in all seriousness, Wilson's first novella is an amazing, tense story of paranoia. He explores today's technology and what dangers can come with being connected. It's not in your face with all the social media options, but there in the way that it is really in all of our lives. I appreciated that he figured out how to work it all in and twist it into a creepy story.
Then there's his brilliant voice and his use of dialog. Wilson's voice is strong, he knows what he wants to say and puts it down on the page in such a way that we are fully on board. We know exactly who these characters are, feeling the fear when he gets a new message, the worry when things ramp up involving his wife. This also rolls into the dialog, which is some of the wittiest dialog I've seen. It's natural, quick, and reveals so much about the person speaking.
Definitely jump on this when it comes out.
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