The Hobgoblin of Little Minds

by Mark Matthews

Kori Persephone Driscoe suffered through her dad's mental illness. All she wanted was for him to get better, but instead he disappeared. Kori trespasses into the abandoned Northville Psychiatric Hospital, the last place her dad was treated, seeking solace and traces of his memory. What she finds instead is something no longer human living deep in the underground tunnels.

During the last days of the hospital, a rogue psychiatrist had been manipulating the mood swings of the mentally ill, transforming patients into savage, manic creatures who seek justice by the light of the full moon. When the creatures hunt for prey, only an escaped patient and her beloved child can help Kori survive. But they better act fast, because the creatures want blood, Kori wants to save her dad, and the whole hospital is about to be blown to pieces and bury Kori alive.

Genres: Horror, Werewolves, Ebooks, Thriller

206 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 18, 2021

About the author

Mark Matthews is a graduate of the University of Michigan and a licensed professional counselor who has worked in behavioral health for over 20 years. He is the author of On the Lips of Children, All Smoke Rises, Milk-Blood, and The Hobgoblin of Little Minds. He is also the editor of a trio of 'addiction horror' anthologies including Orphans of Bliss, Lullabies for Suffering and Garden of Fiends. In 2021, he was nominated for a Shirley Jackson Award. His next novel, To Those Willing to Drown, is expected in May, 2025, followed by the novella, Kali's Web, in August, 2025.

Reviews

[Laurie (barksbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is heavy but I wasn’t expecting a light-hearted monster fest when I started a book written by Mark Matthews. He writes about the realistic heavy shit infused with the horror-fantastic. I’ve read Milk-Blood, On the LIps of Children, and Garden of Fiends: Tales of Addiction Horror and they’ve all been solid grueling reads. The Hobgoblin of Little Minds is not an exception.

This time Matthews tackles lycanthropy and mental health - specifically bipolar and melds the two into a compelling, painful, imaginative journey. If you’ve struggled and/or have family and friends who’ve struggled you know this is going to be a heavy hitter. I don’t even know how to get this review started so I guess I’ll say a little bit about the plot.

Kori grew up with a bipolar dad who has been missing for years. Her mother is screwing off to another state with a new man and Kori isn’t quite ready to let her dad go forever. She visits the Northville Psychiatric Hospital before it’s demolished because it was the last place her dad was seen. What she finds there isn’t at all what she expected. I mean, really, what she finds is a nightmare hellscape and something NO ONE would ever expect. That’s where the horror-fantastic comes in.

Dr. Zita started out with good intentions but somewhere along the way she became less compassionate doctor and more mad scientist and that’s all I really want to say about that because you should discover this stuff on your own. I spent most of my notes writing “WTF is going on here?” and you should experience that too. Just know she is a captivating villain. You’ll root for her to perish but she’ll also fascinate you with her completely dastardly and horribly disturbing plans.

I recommend but with the caveats that in addition to some spectacular deaths (one that made me laugh, actually I’m still laughing when I think about it) that are gory and disturbing it’s the human aspects that might bother one more. The talk of suicide, of abortion, of depression, of a home that feels unsafe and leaves one feeling untethered, and the effects it has on everyone in that circle of pain. Be warned but do read it if you’re in the right headspace because it is excellent.

“But nothing was safe in this house.”

Ouch. If you feel that ouch, heed my warning.

CW: coerced/forced abortion, mental illness, depression, suicide attempts, suicidal thoughts.

[Char · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seeing that cool looking werewolf on the cover with a heart in its hand, makes you think you know what this book is about. You don't! THE HOBGOBLIN OF LITTLE MINDS is full of surprises and werewolves are the least of them.

Kori's father is bi-polar and his meds aren't working very well or at all. When they do work, her dad is not himself-he's numbed. When they're not working or when they become less effective, he becomes the exciting father she knows and loves. He's full of surprises...at least until the mania cycles out and the depression sinks in. One or the other of her father's mental states often ends in a visit from the police and a trip to the psychiatric hospital. Unfortunately, his last visit to the hospital became permanent. There, he met Doctor Zita and his life changed forever. Is this a good change or a bad one? You'll have to read this to find out!

There are several people in this cast of characters that intrigued me, but most especially: Dr. Zita. I'm a horror and dark fiction fan, so I've read the gamut of tales about villains and secret medical experiments, etc..., but rarely have I come across such an intriguing villain. Even though I ended up hating her guts, I felt like I could almost understand how she got to where she was. Aren't those the best types of villains?

THE HOBGOBLIN OF LITTLE MINDS had a personal effect on me, other than just the enjoyment of the novel. A few family members, including my mom, are bipolar, so I have some experience of it in my own life. I saw first hand many of the situations in this book. Medications that don't work, meds that entirely change a person's personality-so much so that they're not recognizable anymore. I've often wondered in those cases whether the meds were worse than the disease? Reading this book, all of the matters regarding mental illness rang very, very true. That's mostly likely because Mark Matthews has worked in the behavioral health industry and is a licensed counselor.

I know that I'm focusing more on the mental health aspect to this book, rather than the werewolf aspect, but make no mistake! These...creatures are scary as hell, but also objects of pity. They're not exactly werewolves, but they cycle with the moon just the same. I'm not sure if this is a werewolf tale with psychological aspects, or a psychological horror tale with a werewolf aspect. As I was reading, I had Stephen Graham Jones' book MONGRELS in the back of mind, but I actually liked HOBGOBLIN better, (and I ADORE SGJ!)

“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Overall, this novel is creative, linking the cycling of disease with other types of cycling in a unique way. We have a dark, manipulative villain in Dr. Zita, we have some commentary and observations on behavioral health and how it's treated in this country, and lastly, we also have some scary-ass abominations that are hungry.

You know you want to read it, so TREAT YOURSELF!

Recommended!

Available January 28th, 2021, but you can pre-order here: https://amzn.to/3rmsWUK

*Thank you to the author for the paperback ARC provided, in exchange for my honest feedback.*

[Louie the Mustache Matos · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book, just fine, until I noticed there was an afterword. In reading the afterword, it struck me that he wanted to separate his feelings as a writer about psychiatric methodologies and his feelings as a clinician. He is both and makes clear that he took liberties in stretching aspects of either, for the sake of artistic license. I think this addendum lends an air of authenticity to the proceedings.

The Hobgoblin of Little Minds is a slow burn, plodding, yet short, psychological horror novel written by Mark Mathews, a licensed, professional counselor. Thematically, the novel explores mental health and the possible genetic factors handed down to the heirs: not the least of which might be vampirism, lycanthropy, witchcraft, and zombieism.

The title is taken from a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote on Self-Reliance: A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. Basically, most people fall into the trap of habituated thinking, without consideration of the possibility that with new information, a new opinion might be formed. An alteration of the status quo happens only with intentionality and open-mindedness.

Here, Kori, returns to the defunct Northville Psychiatric Hospital in order to find solace in its essence before its demolition. It is the last known place where her father lived. Going back to the abandoned hospital, she endeavors to find at the very least a psychic resonance of her dad.

The problem lies in the fact that there was an unbalanced clinician that took advantage of her mentally incapacitated patients. She pushed them further toward their schisms such that they have become bestial, manic, were beasts that have escaped the walls of the institution and populate the surrounding woods. They feed on blood, and in order for Kori to escape, she will have to navigate the patients' hungers, ferocities, and a full moon.

[Becky Spratford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review in January 2021 Horror Review column for Library Journal: https://www.libraryjournal.com/?revie...

Three Words That Describe This Book: mental health, visceral, multiple points of view

Draft Review:
Framed by the well known Emerson quote referenced in the title and informed by Matthews’ 20+ years working in the mental health industry, this fast paced thriller, set in an abandoned mental hospital, tells the story of the effects of mental illness from the point of view of those who suffer and their families, but within the frame of a wholly original addition to the werewolf cannon. Readers will fall into the story quickly, connecting with the main characters as each point of view is explored. This is a tale that makes the reader squirm both because of the well executed, and visceral horror and because of the discomfort from a peek into the minds of people trying to live with mania. Verdict: Pairing an honest and respectful discussion of bi-polar disorder and how our current treatment options often fail its patients with a compelling, and action packed werewolf story, this is an obvious suggestion to fans of The Last Werewolf Trilogy by Duncan but also a great comp for thought provoking creature tales that contemplate the character’s trauma as part of the horror like Frankenstein in Baghdad by Saadawi.

[Kelly| Just Another Horror Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read my first book by Mark Matthews, Milk Blood, 3 years ago and I was amazed by his talent. I had never read anything quite like it and I needed more. I went on to read his books On the Lips of Children and Body of Christ along with a few of his short stories in anthologies. He writes addiction horror and has a career in behavioral healthcare. I think his personal experience is what makes his stories so unique and thought provoking

His latest book lived up to my expectations and then some. I didn’read the synopsis but I assumed it was a werewolf story by the stunning cover. It IS a one but not like any other werewolf story you’ve read before. The main character, Kori, grew up suffering through her father’s mental illness. One day he disappears and Kori decides she must find him. She breaks into an abandoned mental hospital where he was treated and encounters him but in a different form than she ever could have expected. That’s all I’m going to say about that portion of the plot because I don’t want to spoil it.

There were many characters in this book that you immediately feel something for but the character that I really was the most intrigued by was Dr. Zita. She’s basically the villain of this book but I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.

There was a really interesting afterword byMatthews where you can learn more about the connection between bipolar disorder and werewolves. It also gives the reader details about the real Northville Psychiatric Hospital, the hospital in the novel.

I’m giving this book 4 stars. I found it to be an informative and entertaining read. The release date is January 28th, 2021. Don’t miss this one!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher Wicked Run Press for the review copy.

[Yvonne (the putrid Shelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hobgoblin of Little Minds…just how on earth do you review something of such important magnitude? The implications, the research, and the depth of such a poetic narrative…it blew my mind. This is the type of book that authors spend their entire careers trying to pen. The depth of feeling took it to a higher level, the bar being set with flair and empathy. This is the kind of horror that gets my gears churning, there is nothing more horrifying than the human condition and Matthews handed me a hand grenade.

The Hobgoblin of Little Minds was a journey. Get that seatbelt locked in tight because you will suffer whiplash but it’s the kind of shock that is needed for you to fully get the message that Matthews is conveying. Just from the synopsis alone, I knew this was going to be a good read, this was an astounding read, however. We have many questions and themes interweaving to bring the reader an explosive plot. Religion, faith, guilt, mental health, and public perception. The book had quite the profound effect on me and wanted the read to last but also wanting to know what would happen next. Mr Matthews is very much the trickster!

This story does not beat around the bush…no it leads you up a secluded path and jumps out at you when you least expect it. A story that at its very core feels like more an investigation at how people are treated with mental illness and the implications of having such, socially. Be prepared for Matthews to transport you into the story, I always felt like I was there, walking the halls of the hospital, feeling the anguish, and feeling the pain the characters were in. it only takes a sentence for the author to bring everything to life.

Our Protagonist, Kori has had her fair share of heartache. Her father is diagnosed with bipolar Disorder. His medication doesn’t seem to be helping with his symptoms. Fully medicated he’s completely numb, nothing like she remembers him to be and when in mania, he is excitable, and they can have fun together…until he comes down again. He’s had multiple enforced stays in hospital but now he’s in permanently. His final stay in hospital has him meeting Dr Zita and well, his life will forever be changed.

The Hobgoblin of Little Minds obviously had Werewolves playing an integral part in the storytelling and let me tell you – these creatures were scary as all hell! It was a deep exploration of how mental and health and being an actual monster can be metaphorically connected. The closing of the book leaves you searching for answers to the questions that the reader wasn’t even aware were hidden in plain sight.

The Hobgoblin of Little Minds is disquieting and disturbing. Its how you want all psychological horror and Monster Horror to be crafted. It’s a story so deeply etched in desperation and pain, its masterful.

[Janelle Janson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover of THE HOBGOBLIN OF LITTLE MINDS by Mark Matthews may look like some sort of creature feature, but I’m here to tell you it most certainly is not. The creature on the cover was once human, and the story itself is sad, gruesome, and meaningful.

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

As the story goes, Kori Persephone Driscoe has endured her father’s mental illness her entire life. He has bipolar disorder and has been on and off various medications for years. The many cycles of mania that accompany his illness is much like the cycle of the moon. After several incidents, he was admitted to the Northville Psychiatric Hospital, and then just disappeared. When Kori tries to locate her father, she visits the seemingly abandoned hospital, and finds out much more lurking in the dark. Secret medical experiments are being performed on these suffering patients causing them to transform into animalistic, bloodthirsty creatures. They turn with the cycle of the full moon and become savages in the night.

Mark Matthews always writes introspective horror. His books of addiction horror are fantastic, and his new foray into mental illness is just as effective. Every character from the villain, to the protagonist, and to the were-creatures themselves are poignantly written. He is a licensed behavioral health counselor giving his stories that extra touch it needs for the readers to feel empathy for his characters. He does a tremendous job showing how medication or treatment in general can alter the person’s core personality. I found myself thinking about this book long after I finished.

THE HOBGOBLIN OF LITTLE MINDS is a beautifully and brilliantly written story about the many perspectives of bipolar disorder. It’s much more than a horror story with a malevolent creature - it’s a unique take on the woes of mental illness. Well done Mr. Matthews.

Thank you so much to the author for my free copy.

[Catherine McCarthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

To begin with, I was gripped by the setting. An abandoned asylum is always a win with me. Throughout the novel it was plain to see that the writer was familiar with mental illness, bipolarism in particular. The description of drug therapies and other treatments as well as symptoms, felt real and were accurately depicted. The periods of manic behavior, delusions of grandeur, followed by dark depression were well portrayed and interesting to read about. Some of the characters, Peter Driscoe Peter and Maya in particular, were easy to empathize with and I found myself thinking of people I know who have suffered from this disorder, including the effects the illness has had on their families.
I also liked the inclusion of religion turned bad – always a win from me. The use of metaphor throughout was thought provoking, as was Doctor Zita’s thoughts on hereditary factors, some of which I found myself mentally arguing against, or at least not wholly agreeing with. For example, she states, “Fears and threats experienced by earlier generations can influence the structure of our genes, making them more likely to switch on negative responses to stress and trauma.” To me this suggests the individual is not responsible, whereas it is my personal belief that a/ such reactions to triggers are often learned behaviors and b/ such reactions are not so much ‘remembered’ but rather, as a species, we have not traveled as far along the evolutionary scale as we like to think, therefore they are often a natural response. Our modern world, filled with ever-changing technology, has helped trick us into believing we have advanced in other ways. I enjoy this in a book – a challenge to what I believe – and that was my favorite aspect.
What stood out to me was the recognition of what it’s like to live with someone with a mental illness. That sense that somehow it is your responsibility to ‘fix’ them. The scene towards the end where Kori has to ‘let go’ of her father for his sake was very well portrayed. In fact, it was the only part of the novel which elicited an emotional response from me. That’s a personal thing, though.
Finally, I loved the inclusion of an afterword from the author. He starts by saying, “Who actually reads an afterword?” Well, me for one. I enjoy the insight into an author’s mind.
There was one negative for me, and I apologize if this has already been addressed, since this is an ARC... the novel could do with another round of proofreading, specifically for inconsistencies in tense. Overall, definitely well worth a read.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher Wicked Run Press for the review copy.

[Aiden Merchant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matthews has certainly created a version of werewolves I can get behind. Oddly enough, I’m not much for the classics - mummies, vampires, werewolves, zombies … they’re just not my cup of tea. They need to have something fresh about them to get my interest. Matthews has managed to do just that with The Hobgoblin of Little Minds.

The afterword proved to be especially memorable for me. I wasn’t aware Matthews is a licensed professional counselor in behavioral health, for one. Clearly, that background helped him in writing this story, which focuses on bipolar disorder. I am someone that has suffered from depression and anxiety most of my life, and as such I was able to relate to many moments throughout this book. There’s also the possibility that I am BiPolar like my aunt, something I’ve had family and friends ask me to pursue with doctors when I’ve hit my really low or manic stretches - I tend to become very destructive when they’re at their most extreme. I have not gone to the doctor about it, however, just like I’ve personally avoided medication for the past decade. From youth into early adulthood, I did try. I saw a handle of psychiatrists and therapists and tried a slew of different medications, and I felt like they were all useless. Of course, experiences are different for people - my mother swears by her own medications for depression and anxiety - so I’m not here telling you fuck the doctors and their pills. I really only point this all out because Matthews writes about people like me in his afterword - he may as well have just @’ed me!

But seriously, he gets the mania right in this book. Unfortunately, it’s not pleasant to read. I don’t know if that’s because it just hits too close to home for me or because mania can be an overly exhausting dose of words or actions. There are scenes in this book in which a character just goes on and on, whether aloud or in their mind. Things said seem frenzied and mismatched, out of place. Again, this was close to home for me. The manic moments felt very familiar and were well portrayed. I think Matthews was accurate with the symptoms in this book, and his connection to them being a transformation (in this case, werewolves) was something that seemed so obvious to me, I felt stupid for having not really thought of it before. At one point, Matthews says the symptoms of Bipolar presented in this novel are more extreme in nature, but not uncommon. He’s right. In my experience, it’s like being multiple people. When I hit those manic periods, I am surprisingly happy and energetic and just...extra everything (mentally, physically, sexually). When I’m dealing with my depression and anxiety, I’m withdrawn and tired and uninterested in basically everything.

The Hobgoblin of Little Minds turned out to be a bit much for my tastes, but Matthews did a great job on the book. It’s well-written, descriptive, visceral, and wild.

***

Highlights: A fresh take on werewolves … does “mania” justice … well written, complex, and full of depth you wouldn’t expect from a werewolf story … unsettling and disturbing

Shadows: The pace is a little slow once you’ve read beyond the beginning … some dialogue felt unnatural or long winded

FFO: Werewolves … horror based on emotional trauma and mental illnesses

Takeaway: It wasn’t quite what I wanted, but The Hobgoblin of Little Minds is well written, frantic at times, and an excellent display of bi-polar depression at its best and worst moments.

Would I read this author again? Yes

***

REVIEW BY AIDEN MERCHANT
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[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes I’ll read a book and feel unqualified to write a review. When the author is one whose work I respect and enjoy, I often feel that anything I might have to say would simply be silly. Such is the case with The Hobgoblin of Little Minds by the always excellent Mark Matthews.

What’s so good about it?

First of all, this book was written by Mark Matthews. I know that anytime I crack open something he’s written that it’s going to be inventive and imaginative, and usually go in a different direction than what I might expect. THOLM is no exception; yes, it’s a werewolf story—but these are not your typical werewolves, and the direction the story goes is not what you might expect.

Which brings me to my second point: the best horror writing is typically either allegorical or functions on multiple levels, and that perfectly describes THOLM. While it can be enjoyed as a mostly straight-forward story about werewolves, this can also be read as a dissection of how the children of parents with mental illnesses respond to growing up in that environment. The book centers around three relationships between mentally ill/werewolfy parents and their children, and the main meat of the book is really about how each of the children (some of whom are now adults) have dealt with their parents’ conditions. Some want to save their parents; some want to save humanity by any means possible; and some want to simply watch the world burn. The depiction of the mania and depression that is part of being a werewolf was compellingly written and extremely unnerving.

So why four stars? Probably just personal issues. I found the overall characterization to be somewhat flat. The POV shifts every couple of chapters, but most of the characters seem to speak with the same voice. This was especially true of the female characters.

However, the main issue that keeps this from being 5 stars for me is the extended monologuing (chapters 21-24) indulged in by the villain. If you need four chapters for the bad guy (or woman, in this case) to painstakingly explain what she’s been up to....well, there probably was a better (or more concise) way to give us that information. But what do I know—I am not an author.

Overall, though, this was a wild ride and a good time, and I eagerly look forward to what Mr. Matthews has planned for us next time.

*****I received a free ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is it.*****

[Roxie Voorhees · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoa that was a ride! Full RTC!

[Justin Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds..." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Not only is the title pulled form this quote, it's referenced several times throughout the novel by different characters for different reasons; some in moments of justification and some in moments of self-reflection. Doing the same thing the same way because it's the way it's always been done leads to folly. One thing's for sure, this novel isn't doing anything the way it's been done before and it's one of the best I've read in years.

Here's a short synopsis: Kori's father disappeared after being treated at the now abandoned Northville Psychiatric Hospital, a place she still visits to feel close to him. As it turns out, the hospital isn't completely abandoned and what she finds in the underground tunnels will change everything.

There's a quote on the back cover "You'll never think of a werewolf the same way again" and that is 100% true. The creature isn't quite a werewolf (or at least not the traditional type you're used to), but that's pretty much they type of horror you're in for. This take on them feels so utterly original and yet makes so much sense. I know it's going to be hard to not apply the "rules" of this book to every other werewolf story I read from here on out. Everything from the transformation to how it feels to be that powerful is written in a way that makes it easy to empathize with the characters and their motivations, good or bad.

Speaking of how things are described...wow. The prose in this is beautiful. Here's a quote from page 125: "There was so much pain in these hallways. The echoes of screams still bounced off the walls, not just the kind that were propelled out one's throat, but those that imploded inwards, making internal organs wither. Their history was written in the concrete, like eternal spray paint, telling a thousand stories of patients come and gone." SO GOOD!

Mental health, especially in today's climate, can be a tough subject to write about in fiction. I commend Mark for reaching out to beta readers to make to make sure his take didn't stigmatize those that have to live with mental illness. I recommend reading the Afterword where he goes into more detail about his research; it's really interesting. He talks about his thoughts on mental illness, medication, and where this idea came from.

In summary, THE HOBGOBLIN OF LITTLE MINDS is a beautiful and harrowing read that offers a completely original take on werewolves and mental illness. There are thrills here for sure, but there's also compassion and a story about family that you won't soon forget.

5 out of 5 stars

[Steve Stred · Rating 4 out of 5]

** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **

I’ve quickly become a fan of Mark Matthews after reading his novella ‘Body of Christ’ and his short story in Lullabies for Suffering. Mark is a highly educated man who always makes sure to put depth and meaning into his work. Because of that, I was very enthralled when he announced his next release would be set in an abandoned asylum which was based on a real location.

What I liked: ‘The Hobgoblin of Little Minds’ is a very unsettling read. Two main plots run through this. The first is the very obvious creature-feature aspect. This follows Kori, searching for her father in the tunnels below the former hospital/asylum. Slated for demolition, fifteen years ago her father came here and hasn’t been seen since, so she’s running out of time to find any evidence of where he’s gone. On this particular visit, she finds him and he’s not like she remembered.

The second, is the philosophical look at mental illness. Much like ‘Come Closer’ by Sara Gran that I recently read, Matthews has set this book up with, to a degree, a “is this all actually happening” approach.

Many of the scenes where Kori, and her father, are looking back on how things unfolded and they’ve arrived to where they are, were incredibly introspective moments. Really hard to digest as they were very profound.

As the story unfolds and we see a lot of the ‘why,’ Matthews has brilliantly set this up so that you’ll find yourself rooting for characters and hoping for a seemingly impossible happy ending.

What I didn’t like: Throughout, the character Lilith plays a very specific role and I found I just couldn’t get on board with her character. I’m not sure why, but whenever she returned and there was some debate about God’s involvement and what she believed her purpose was, I found it really distracted and detracted from the story I wanted to read, the story of Kori and her father.

Why you should buy this: If you’re already a fan of Matthews, this is a no-brainer. He’s crafted another gem and has only furthered his reputation of taking on difficult themes and making them enjoyable to read. But for the new fans, if you’re looking for a book that’ll make you stop and think, that asks questions and offers some variable answers, this will be right up your alley. Oh, and never forget, Matthews always brings buckets of gore.

Lastly, I just wanted to mention the afterword. Matthews says good afterwords are designed to highlight some of the story while fading away and quickly forgotten. While I may disagree with him there, I love afterwords, this one is really well done, focusing on different clinical aspects as well as the real-life location used for inspiration. Great stuff.

[Hayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hobgoblin of Little Minds is an absolutely profound and perfect allegory showcasing bipolar type 1 through the eye of lycanthropy. Wicked Run Press is absolutely correct: “You’ll never think of a werewolf the same way again.”

I love the religious themes that Matthews uses throughout his writing and, like the delicate subject of mental illness, I feel he is respectful and very aware of all potential audiences.

Matthews’ afterward put to rest any lingering questions regarding his thoughts on mental health professionals and medications, and while fiction doesn’t necessarily reflect an author’s opinions, it was reassuring to me that he included his thoughts in the mentioned afterward.

I do have concerns for readers who struggle with bipolar and/or depression. And this is coming from a reader that personally struggles with these topics.
I feel that the tone was very dark and didn’t offer any hope or warmth to the characters who struggled with their bipolar. Peter Driscoe’s storyline in particular was depressing and hard to read. And I think anyone who identifies with the mental illnesses portrayed will feel that sense of hopelessness from the story.
It takes incredible writing skills to be able to make the reader feel real and true feelings like this, but I would caution potential readers. I am so glad I didn’t read this book during one of my depressive episodes; I know it would have been very damaging had I done so. Please don’t read this book if you’re feeling depressed - wait for your mood to change.

This book won’t be for every reader. It deals with mental illness in a dark mood and the horror genre. But I absolutely do recommend it to the readers who are looking for profound introspection in their horror.

Thank you so much to the author for sending me an advance copy after I expressed interest in reading it!
This book is going to stay with me for a long long time. You have a new fan 🖤

[Lee-ann Oleski · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hobgoblin of Little Minds by Mark Matthews is a wild and untamed piece of Literary horror. A mind bender of a roller coaster ride, being trapped inside the inner workings of a person with bipolar disorder, hitting all their highs and lows at disastrous speeds.

“𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 — 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦’𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨”

I can’t even begin to describe the inner dialogue of these characters. It’s raw, tumultuous and completely unfiltered. The sheer anguish the characters are feeling is mind numbing. You can feel the author knows these minds, has been in these environments, his observations transferred directly to these pages, trickling down like blood from a bite mark.

The unique nature in which Werewolves are incorporated into the story is masterful. With a strong plot and thoughtfulness towards those suffering from mental illness, it is sorrowful and cruel yet heartfelt and enlightening at the same time.

I give The Hobgoblin of Little Minds ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.


“𝘼 𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙗𝙜𝙤𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙨, 𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨."- 𝚁𝚊𝚕𝚙𝚑 𝚆𝚊𝚕𝚍𝚘 𝙴𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗

[Cass (only the darkest reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Wicked Run Press and Netgalley for an ARC of this novel.

When I first saw the cover I wasn’t really sold. Out of all of the famous monsters I’d have to say that werewolves are my least favourite and I never really search them out. Yes, I’ve seen all the most lauded films (The Howling, Dog Soldiers, Ginger Snaps,) but I have avoided the novels. Even just now searching the best werewolf novels a lot of them look more like erotica than horror. (Which is not a judgement in itself, erotica has it’s place, it’s just not on my bookshelf.)

When I started seeing people on horror bookstagram raving about this book, I knew I needed to check it out. I’m really thrilled I did. I genuinely haven’t seen a new and fresh addition to the werewolf canon in A LONG TIME. So thank you so much Mark Matthews!

Stop reading here if you want to avoid spoilers!

TLDR: You should read this.

The Hobgoblin of Little Minds creates a world where lycanthropy is intrinsically tied to bipolar disorder. Taking the most common symptoms, hyper-sexuality, extreme mood swings, suicidal ideation, and all the other manic/depressive states and tying it into the moon cycle. Where our subjects undergo a violent change that is outside of their control. They turn into fricking werewolves, duh!

The patients/werewolves in our story are institutionalized, and are undergoing a series of experiments in the hope that they’ll be cured. Instead, we have Doctor Zita who believes that bipolar disorder is a superpower, and through drug therapy, isolation and breeding they can distill a perfect specimen. A human who is completely in tune with the workings of the world and history, that will be powerful and perfect in every way. She believes that bipolar disorder has been wrongly maligned, and when it’s at it’s purest, strongest form that you get a new Messiah.

At it’s core this is a novel about how mental illness can demonize a family, but that core is absolutely splattered in viscera. There is SO MUCH BLOOD in this story, and deformed vamp/werewolf hybrid babies, and, well, I’m not going to spoil the bloody bits, because that’s obviously where the real fun is.

I think this was a supremely difficult novel to write, because you’re treading along a minefield of people interpreting this either as romanticizing mental illness or the opposite damning the mentally ill and calling them monsters. I think that Matthew’s day job in behavioural medicine would lead me to believe that it’s way more nuanced than that. I think it more so a critique on how we interpret psychological illnesses and the people who experience them.

[Richard Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds”

This famous quotation from philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson, was speaking out against conformity, and encouraging people to form their own ideas and opinions. In Mark Matthews new novel, ‘The Hobgoblin of Little Minds’, the quote is used often in the context of bipolar disorder and mental illness in a clever blending of the real-life struggles of these conditions, and the classic horror tropes of the werewolf myth.

Kori hasn’t seen her father in over a decade. Following a number of incidents and suicide attempts, he was admitted to the Northville Psychiatric hospital and was never heard from again. Kori often visits the now-abandoned hospital, hoping to find a trace of her lost father and learn what became of him.

What she finds instead are vicious, malformed creatures living deep under the hospital grounds, where secret experiments were performed, turning people into savage, bloodthirsty animals whose primal needs become uncontrollable when the moon is full. Can Kori find and save her father or is he now beyond her help.

Larger than life horror as a metaphor for real-world issues is a fine balancing act. Too subtle and the message gets lost; too on-the-nose and it becomes a distraction to the story. It is rare to find a novel that avoids these pitfalls quite so deftly as Mark Matthews does here.

The book bounces between chapters told from the point of view of a handful of main characters, many of which suffer from bipolar disorder. These voices are understandably disjointed and the narration shifts wildly between franticly paced and sombrely downbeat, and we, the reader, are not always necessarily fully aware of what is going on, as we often catch up with a character whilst they are in the midst of mood swings or mania. It makes for a difficult but fascinating read, to be told a story largely from the perspective of somebody suffering from a mental illness.

We are firmly in literary horror territory and the prose is suitably captivating. The author (who is a behavioural health professional) writes with an assured grasp of his subject matter and the whole book feels very authentic and consistent. He also doesn’t shy away from the horror, both physical and emotional. It is a harrowing and downbeat read at times, punctuated by moments of bloody violence, but you can’t look away. The characters are so engaging, and their situation so unlike anything you find in a typical horror story, that you can’t help but find yourself invested in the unpredictable narrative that unfolds.

‘The Hobgoblin of Little Minds is a challenging yet ultimately immensely rewarding book. As a new take on the werewolf story, it is a fascinating read but as a deep dive into the realities of mental illness, the book is an absolute triumph.


You can read more reviews of new and upcoming horror releases at https://www.myindiemuse.com/category/...

[Escapereality4now · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, the cover of this book is amazing. A werewolf holding a heart. The blue and red’s were just beautiful together.

I ripped into this book without reading the synopsis because it was a book by Mark Matthews. I have loved all his books so far. He writes addiction horror that really gets under my skin. “The Hobgoblin of Little Minds” takes a departure from addiction and explores mental illness.

Kori Pershone Driscoll has suffered through her dad’s mental illness. She wanted him to get better but he does not seem to improve. One day, he disappears and Kori is determined to find him. She breaks into the abandoned hospital that used to treat him and is unprepared for what she finds.

Every character in this book was so well written that you have sympathy for them. Dr. Zita, suffered her own trauma, which in turn caused her to be the villain. Although her acts are horrific, I could see the driving force between these actions. I wanted all the characters to find peace.



This was a well written book about bipolar disorder. It touches on how medications and medical treatment can influence individuals with mental illness.

[Jessica Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read more horror in the last year than I have in my entire life. This was just wow. This little book sinks it's claws in and spits you out. Creepy indeed.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredibly unique and thoughtful take on mental illness, bipolar disorder in particular, with a twist on the traditional werewolf lore. Ironically, I think the word werewolf was only used once? And then shut down really quickly, which I thought was a nice addition.

The descriptions of what it felt like to go through a manic episode were some of the most haunting and beautiful I’ve ever read. Bipolar disorder has some very negative connotations attached to it, however there is beauty in the heightened awareness that both Peter and Maya observe, and later Lilith.

“She wanted to rip the walls down, wanted to sing her song of rage and pain.”

“Atoms in her brain and all the fluids lubricating her spine started to ooze like hot lava”

The characters were engaging and very fleshed out. I wanted Kori to find peace with her dad. I wanted Maya to find Lilith and be reunited. I wanted Hades the dog to be ok! And I suitably hated Zita. It seemed she justified her cruelty and her Frankenstein complex with her past.

I was drawn to the book by the amazing cover, but I kept reading because of the descriptive prose that Mark Matthews wrote. I felt like I was living a manic episode.

5 stars and will be buying a physical copy when it comes out!

[Wayne Fenlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique and admirable werewolf story, written with genuine care and understanding towards mental illness.
Mark Matthews has done himself proud.
Believable characters. Great setting.
Everything was handled wonderfully.
Not much else I can add. It's all in the synopsis.
Five stars.
Buy it.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Matthews provided me with an ARC of this short book, and I am happy to have been able to take in another one of his works. He is a writer who specializes in psychological horror that pertains to addictions and mental illness. This is clearly his wheelhouse and he writes it with fervor and compassion.

This story is about Kori Driscoe, who grew up with a mentally unwell father who she loved dearly. He certainly loved her back, but without knowing how to express it in the best way. Her father, Peter Driscoe, was so consumed by his bi-polar and manic episodes that he felt he could not provide his daughter the love she needed. Despite receiving various forms of treatment, he ended up leaving and not returning during one of his episodes, which unearthed feelings of abandonment for Kori. She decided to visit the soon-to-be demolished Northville Psychiatric Hospital where her father was last treated and ended up finding him there, but changed. The other creatures she discovered with him were similar in their state, having been former patients of a psychiatrist bent on ‘perfecting’ these mental disorders into something powerful and messianic that could be bred and harnessed.

I truly enjoy the pain that Mark Matthews brings to the page. It is emotionally rich and sincere in its personal agony. He described Peter’s thoughts on Kori while he was being intimidated into becoming one of the psychiatric ward’s experimental patients, “So many locked doors and walls between them, if only he could just reach through the screen and speak to her the splendor of words he’s always hoped to say. Everything he had done in his sickness was just another way to scream her name.”

It is also very commendable how much homework the author does to be as accurate as possible with describing setting, mental illnesses, and their causes and effects. One of my favourite parts in this book that I spent some time pondering was when he wrote, “We disparage these individuals who crave illegal drugs, not asking ourselves if the body really knows something. Does it want cocaine to release something special? Or alcohol to quench a fire that is dangerous? Can we honor what we call illness as a special quality instead?”

I really enjoyed the allegory at play here between lycanthropy and mental illness. It is meaningful and somehow tender to the people suffering from these manic and depressive states. Matthews did not dishonour those who have mental illness in any way by creating this comparison, but rather brought attention to their very personally perceived situations with a compassionate and empathetic eye. I love this about his writing and I think you will too!

[Brennan LaFaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Hobgoblin of Little Minds, Mark Matthews puts a unique spin on the werewolf mythos. This book delves heavily into themes of family and mental health, treating the latter with respect and introspection. A book that makes you think every bit as much as it makes you shake under the covers.

[Serenity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read!!

First time reading anything by this author and I am impressed! Great imagery and characters. Loved the gore. A definite recommend!

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely enjoyable different take on the werewolf legend. Interesting characters and a plot involving an obsessed psychiatrist, Zita, who manipulates the rage through a concoction called Luminex containing traces of silver. I highly recommend this horror/suspense thriller.

[Weevil Dead · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not your average werewolf tale. The light of the moon indeed triggers the frenzy of devastation in these books, but this is a work about mental health, and especially bipolar disorder. The author, Mark Matthews, has had a career in behavioral health for over 20 years, and is a licensed professional counselor. This book was written with a lot of care and knowledge into what it means to live with a mental illness. Although there were plenty of horrific events, I really found myself thinking about mental health, medications, and what it means to take medications that alter your core self. I haven't read a book centered around mental health for a long time. This was extremely thought provoking, chaotic, as well as enlightening, painful, and beautiful; which is what I imagine it may feel like to live with bipolar disorder, or love someone who has it.

The character of Dr. Zita in this was really interesting to me. Although she is the villain in this, performing unspeakable acts on patients, and of course her unethical abuse and tactics of her research makes her a monster, she too is motivated by her past experience with those she loved being consumed by their mental states. Matthews included a really insightful afterward in which the reader can learn more about the correlation between werewolves and mental health and Northville Psychiatric Hospital, which is a real place.

I am giving this book 4 stars because it was challenging to read, and it was a very good novel, with a lot of care and work that went into its creation. I was glad to read something that was more out of my comfort zone, and a book encouraged me to think differently. The Hobgoblin of Little Minds also has fantastic cover art by Vincent Chong!

My official review will be out on www.scaretissue.com on January 1st 2021!

[Hail Hydra! ~Dave Anderson~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I hope this story has added to the legend of werewolves, which in some ways is a forgotten trope and archetype over the last few decades which has seen the rise of vampires first, then zombies second. That is now changing. The moon is full and it’s now the time of the wolf."

[The Book Gawdess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily...


The Hobgoblin of Little Minds was about Kori Driscoe and the struggle her father had with mental illness. He ends up in a psychiatric hospital where a psychiatrist, Dr Zita, was using the mental illness of the patients to create monsters. Timing their mood swings and the cycles of the moon, the doctor was using drugs to create things which were no longer human. Kori is determined to find out where her father disappeared to and she enters the ruins of the hospital which has been abandoned and earmarked for demolition. She isn't prepared for what she finds in the ruins....

This was a unique way to look at bipolar disorder. The descriptions used to demonstrate what having a manic episode felt like were haunting. Linking it to werewolves made it even more fascinating.

I was a bit worried that the writer would exploit the very real issues mental health patients have and spoil the book. However, he described bipolar disorder with such profound respect that I felt like he opened a door for us to see what people afflicted with this disorder go through.

The character development was quite well done and left me feeling quite sympathetic towards the doctor at the end. But my favorite character would have to be Hades, Kori's dog. I just wanted her to be okay.

I would definitely try more books by this author based on this offering.

This book has very graphic sex scenes and a heavy dose of violence. For these reasons, this book should be read by adults only. 

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://aardvarkian.com/2021/01/15/th...

NetGalley and the publishers provided me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The first thing — the very first thing — that struck me about The Hobgoblin of Little Minds, before I even started reading it, before I even looked at the cover or researched the author Mark Matthews, was its title. The phrase is mentioned quite a few times in the text, and it is by no means a throwaway title. It means something to every character in this engrossing horror novel. It was coined by the poet, essayist, and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, taken from his 1841 essay Self Reliance. In it, Emerson states that “foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.” A quick search on the internet explains this in layman’s terms for me: basically saying that just because you’ve thought the same thing for most of your life, or performed the same actions, it doesn’t absolve you of the importance of critical thinking, and the necessity of changing your mind and opinion when better information comes to light. (Sounds like a lot of politicians could use this advice here, but we won’t go there.)


Emerson’s metaphor takes on new life (literally) during the course of this novel. Told in a somewhat non-linear way, beginning in 2002 and ending in 2018, The Hobgoblin of Little Minds centres around five main characters. Kori Persephone Driscoe, who’s father Peter has been in and out of psychiatric institutions, serves as our introduction to Mr Matthew’s insane and dangerous world. Kori’s mother is about to hightail it out of Detroit and set up home with her new partner in Florida. Kori doesn’t want to go, and instead visits the hospital where she last saw her father. Anyone from Detroit will be familiar with Northville Psychiatric Hospital in Northville Township,Wayne County, and former Governer Engler’s closure of the hospital for economic reasons. Patients and staff were moved on elsewhere. Kori visits the abandoned building, already the subject of blogs and videos which suggest it’s haunted, and finds that nothing is what it seems anymore.


Peter has been the subject of genetic medical experiments by his doctor, the mysterious Dr Ziti. She is an expert in mental illness, and because of her own family trauma as well as a God Complex, she invents a pharmaceutical that she hopes will harness Peter’s bipolar disorder into something she can use. Basically she Dr Frankenstein, Psychiatrist. But Peter isn’t her first attempt at harnessing this disorder. Her previous failed attempts are chained up in the tunnels under the hospital, and when Kori finds them and her father, the narrative takes a number of strange and disturbing detours.

Maya, a Black woman, traumatised by her mother’s suicide, and subjected to heinous treatment by her local pastor, lands on Dr Ziti’s doorstep, and is partnered up with Peter in a bizzare and horrifying experiment; the result of which is the book’s fifth character, whom I will leave for you to find out more about. I’ve gone far enough into spoilery territory, and wish to go no further

Over the last few years or so, there has been a plethora of vampire and zombie novels, movies, and television shows, but few if any on what we call werewolves. I want to point out that Mr Matthew’s monsters aren’t classic werewolves in the Lon Chaney, jr. vein; they are their own creation, but follow similar patterns of behaviour. The Hobgoblin of Little Minds is as much about how mental illness affects the families of those who endure bipolar disorder as it is about the victims of this illness themselves. Dr Ziti sees that classic attempts to treat sufferers of bipolar disorder don’t work anymore and that it’s time for something new, something extreme. She sees the foolish consistencies of those in the field who preceeded her. But she has an agenda of her own, a deeply personal one.

The Hobgoblins of Little Minds is at times a violent novel. There is one scene that literally had me crossing my legs, but the victim in question deserved their end. Hat’s off to the author, though, who had me enthralled from the first page, and I finished the novel over two nights. (This is a book to read in the dark, trust me.) It’s the terrifying offspring of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and H.G. Well’s The Island of Doctor Moreau. It also raises questions on medical ethics, and how it can be that sometimes the people we trust to help us won’t always have our best interests in mind: which is something equally as terror-inducing as anything you’ll read in these pages.

It’s worth reading the author’s Afterword at the end of the book. Mark Matthews offers us his experience in the field of mental illness and treatment and how he came about to write his book. I found this very informative. If you want to learn more about Northville Psychiatric Hospital, you can check out the links here and here.

[Blake Blanco · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young woman, Kori, discovers the one thing she has longed for, hoped for for as long as she can remember, who would have thought that the decrepit old mental health hospital would have all of those secrets.

With The Hobgoblin of Little Minds, Matthews has crafted a captivating, magical imagining of the Werewolf trope, but also skillfully brings forth the tragedy that is mental illness. In this case it is Bipolar, but not in the traditional frowned upon disorder. Emotionally, his descriptive prose breathes new life into the condition and allows it to be painted in a pseudo positive light. You see, in this tale Bipolar is a gift and a curse.

This story is very character driven, and they're developed quite well, so well in fact that every tinge of emotion that they feel leaps off the pages and into readers minds. The amount of research that was put into this work is clearly evident, the authenticity of describing manic episodes, and the effects that plague those that suffer from Bipolar, or mental illness in general is not easy to put in to words, but it is felt that it has been completed quite well. I myself suffer from Bipolar, and to see that it has been re-imagined in this type of light brings hope.

This book is full of dread and grief, while reading, readers will be able to feel the pain that each character begins to feel. Readers will want to stand with them and be by their sides. They will ache for our main character, as she discovers the one thing that she has been hoping for, but isnt quite what she expected. They will try and reach into the book to help a father who was shunned because of his condition, only to be exploited and utterly destroy himself in the process. They will discover a mother, who longs to be reunited with a lost one, the perfect one. The corrupted Doctor, whom seems to have their best interest in her heart, but is only caught up in evil. Finally, another daughter, who is misguided, not exactly sure where she stands in the world, until shes free.

I am honestly quite impressed with the way that Matthews is able to wiggle inside of your mind and have you thinking and overthinking everything that you thought you knew. I must admit that this is my first encounter with any of his work, but his prose and descriptive qualities has clearly created a fan in me, and has solidified his standing as a must buy. If you enjoy your horror with psychological aspects you will enjoy this one. I gave it five stars and i will be recommending it for sometime.

I would like to extend a huge thank you, Net Galley, and Wicked Run Press for providing me with a digital arc in exchange for my honest opinion.