Red Rabbit

Sadie Grace #1

by Alex Grecian

A folk horror epic about a ragtag posse that must track down a witch through a wild west beset by demons and ghosts―and where death is always just around the bend.

Sadie Grace is wanted for witchcraft, dead (or alive). And every hired gun in Kansas is out to collect the bounty on her head, including bona fide witch hunter Old Tom and his mysterious, mute ward, Rabbit.

On the road to Burden County, they’re joined by two vagabond cowboys with a strong sense of adventure – but no sense of purpose – and a recently widowed school teacher with nothing left to lose. As their posse grows, so too does the danger.

Racing along the drought-stricken plains in a stolen red stagecoach, they encounter monsters more wicked than witches lurking along the dusty trail. But the crew is determined to get that bounty, or die trying.

Written with the devilish cadence of Stephen Graham Jones and the pulse-pounding brutality of Nick Cutter, Red Rabbit is a supernatural adventure of luck and misfortune.

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Westerns, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Witches, Audiobook

455 pages, Hardcover

First published September 19, 2023

About the author

Grecian is the author of several bestselling thrillers, including THE SAINT OF WOLVES AND BUTCHERS, and five novels featuring Scotland Yard's Murder Squad: THE YARD, THE BLACK COUNTRY, THE DEVIL'S WORKSHOP, THE HARVEST MAN, and LOST AND GONE FOREVER, plus the original Murder Squad ebook, THE BLUE GIRL.

He also created the six-volume graphic novel series PROOF, and the two-part graphic novel RASPUTIN.

He currently lives in the American Midwest with his wife and son. And a dog. And a tarantula.

Reviews

[Brandon Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was NOT expecting to love this as much as I did. It’s like a mix between Lost Gods by Brom and Little Heaven by Nick Cutter. So epic and emotional and violent and even kinda funny at times with a HUGE cast of characters- Such a good time!!!

I’ve been in a reading slump these past few weeks and have been thinking about my favs of the year, and this is definitely top 5 or maybe 3!

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A motley crew of misfits - so motley that not all of them are alive - fall in together, mostly by happenstance. One of them is sure he's killed a witch, and he's headed north to collect the reward being offered. Everyone else decides to accompany him because . . . I'm guessing 'cause TV hadn't been invented yet.

And so, they're off to see the wizard witch and check out whether she's dead or not. The road they travel is not yellow brick, but filled with danger and horrors that make visiting a witch seem tame by comparison.

I LOVED this fun and creepy tale. 'Twas one of my favorite books of the year, and the best horror read so far this Spooktober.

One warning - BAD THINGS happen to animals in this book. (Well, to people, too, but that never seems to upset us as much . . . )

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for sharing this one.

[MagretFume · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the western vibe and the characters. The writing is fantastic and the world building was great.
Even though I would classify this book as "atmospheric horror", I thought it had a lot of heart and depth.
I was really invested in the story and the characters arc and would highly recommend this book.

[The Belladonna · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I wished I knew for sure if I was going crazy. That might be a comfort."

In post-Civil War Kansas, where the weird wild west is filled with supernatural terror...

Demons, ghosts, ghouls, shapeshifters, and witches, oh my! A ragtag posse band together and set off on a witch hunt in a stolen red stagecoach. As perils mount, will they adapt or die? And who is this strange girl they found? This book was bananas! Bizarre and eerie, it has everything you need for a unique horror read. It is a bit of a slow burn with a mishmash blend of POVs, so sit back and enjoy the ride as it comes at you.

[K.J. Charles]

Thoroughly enjoyed this. A Western folk horror, with a beautifully sparse writing style and deceptively simple, fable-like telling. We have a large cast, with roaming but well controlled POV, which means we're not overly emotionally committed to any one character. which is lucky because bad shit happens to many of them. Coolly told, which doesn't undercut the humanity and horror of it at all.

[Kim Lockhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I expected Red Rabbt to be dark, creepy, and absolutely bonkers, and it turned out to be even better than I expected. If you like horror stories set in the Old (post-Civil War) West, with cowboys, ghosts, ranchers, empowered women, witches, witch hunters, demons, ghouls, shapeshifters, wayward lawmen, sinister towns, people who seem like murderers who aren't, people who don't seem like murderers but are, and MORE, you will probably dig this book. 

During the entire story, the main group of characters are headed for an uncertain destiny at a very certain destination, always marching forward, hell come but may, and hell comes their way early and often, in wildly different unexpected ways. 

I found this story to be addictive, the kind that grabs you and takes you along for the ride, with the horror, the story, and all the numerous characters, sharing the central focus equally at all times. There are surprises, unsettling developments, and a whole lotta murders, though the gore never takes the spotlight away from the people of the story.

This was such an enjoyable read. Horror fans, I think you're going to love it!

[Dead Inside · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I believe I should stay. What I done to end up here was dreadful, and this is my penance.”

Six black toads for this masterpiece.

Have you ever read a book and you did not want the story to end? That’s how much I loved this book.

[Amos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witches and Ghosts and Demons, oh my!!

A ragtag gaggle of strangers embark on a journey across a magical, yet dangerous and death-filled, landscape- each for their own reasons. I loved the characters, the imaginative mayhem and the feeling that anything could happen to anybody at any time. Such a FUN read!!!

4 Swashbuckling Stars

[I’m a book mom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why do I always tell people to recommend their favorite books to me no matter the genre? Because I love experiencing a read that I know someone else enjoyed, especially picturing their reactions to the text along the way. This was a book unlike anything I’ve read before and I loved it.

Typically, I struggle with books that have many characters and multiple perspectives, but I, in a weird way, liked the challenge of following along to the perspective shift with each new chapter. You did have to keep track of how each character related to another and what that character called the other characters in order to fully grasp the storyline. So yes, there were a lot of characters to keep track of and at one point it felt dizzying, but it also added to the suspense and kept my curiosity peaked.
Also, short chapters which is always a win for me!

This might be random, but what came to mind while reading was a “view finder.” You know those toys that you can put the picture reel in and click through to see the images in 3D. I imagined each new chapter as a new slide coming to life like a 3D newspaper cartoon, but in book form obviously. It felt interactive in a weird way.

Anyway, I will not forget this book. It was unique in every way, and even though it was different than anything I’ve read in the past, that’s what will make it a memorable read for me. Also, it was an epic reminder that there are evil people and there are selfless people. Choose to be a loving and caring person. Be there for people. If you have their back, they will have yours. In this life and beyond.

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 Stars
I hoped I would love this piece of witchy western folk horror but I didn't get as engrossed as I hoped to be. I struggled to attach to the characters or immerse myself within the story.

However I don't feel like I'm entirely the target audience. While I love horror, Midwestern folk horror just doesn't speak to me in a way that it might for others. If the premise sounds up your alley, you may want to check this out.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

For something a little different I decided to give this old western a bit of my attention.
Cowboys and Indians, well yes, there are those.
Also, ghosts, cannibals, witches, shape shifters, a nasty demon, a haunted forest, humans, good guys/gals, bad guys/gals, a rabbit, and other good stuff and bad stuff.

For a western without a Clint Eastwood anywhere to be seen or heard from this wasn't bad, not bad at all.
This world could use a little Clint.
Cannibals be damned if the pale rider comes riding into town.

The mixed bag variety of "people" end up accompanying an old fart of a witch hunter across the wild wild west to get his bounty for a witch he may or may not have killed.

Naturally along the way there's trouble.
Our little posse encounters numerous obstacles to impede their progress (see above).
Meanwhile the reader gets to know each character a little bit better and opinions and bonds are formed.

Some of the obstacles are quite creative.
All dangerous, but with touches of humor and sensitivity but always dire and deadly in nature.

There is blood and guts and that thing with the horse*.
Plus there's other scenarios of the supernatural persuasion that may make some squirm.
I was okay with it. I've read worse.

The characters were all well developed in my eyes.
I knew the who, the what, the where, the why, and the how of each.
A few favs of mine,
Joe, bless his heart. A good man.
Sadie Grace, so strong in spirit, yet misunderstood by many.
I think I'm in love.
Best to be friends with this one.
As for world building, dangerous and dusty.
Just like in the movies.
All very well done.

This is just an outline of what awaits you.
The fun is in the story as it unfolds and the cast within.
And fun it is.
There are some sad bits along the way which helps round out the story and brings some humanity amongst the horror.
So I have given you nothing but teasers.

Giddy-up and happy trails to you until we meet again and all that other jazz.

The sequel Rose of Jericho comes out in a few months and I can't wait.


* At least I didn't know its name.
That helps if I must endure it.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Red Rabbit
by Alex Grecian
This book is a combination of horror, supernatural creatures, ghosts, and magic. It's topped with blood and gore, evil, and twists. I loved it. The story unfolds and brings the characters together interestingly. Each character is unique. Because it is a horror novel, things just up and surprised me. I hope there is another book to follow. This clearly ended well, but I can always hope.

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

A pleasant surprise! (though not exactly a pleasant book?) Honestly I wasn't sure what to expect from a historical horror novel set in the days of the wild west when there was a whole lot of misogyny and racism to go around. While plenty of those things exist in this book, the stance of the author is clearly opposed to them, as supported by the arcs of the characters and who the real villains of the story are. People sometimes wonder how you can show racism and misogyny in historical fiction without promoting those ideas or playing into harmful stereotypes, and I think this is a pretty decent example. It's not perfect- we have mystical Native Americans, but then we also have mystical white guys trying to appropriate that and doing it poorly so it could definitely be worse.

Overall though, it was a wild ride of a book and I enjoyed the journey. It's bloody and gruesome, definitely horror. But it's also a rollicking ride with an unlikely crew tracking down a witch with a bounty on her head, and a strong western vibe.

Heads up that this does include various kinds of death, violence, body horror, possession, cannibalism, use of racist and misogynist language, threats of sexual violence etc.

[Askari Mohammad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Things just...happen.



My rule to reading a book is usually to see its rating on Goodreads first; if it's above 4, then I'm excited to read it. I was so disappointed with this one and feel for the first time that it doesn't deserve this high a rating. Each one of my three reasons for disliking Red Rabbit has a thread that connects it with the other two.

1) Maybe it's the elementary school teacher in me saying this, but stories usually come away with some kind of lesson to learn - some kind of moral. There's nothing of substance here. Events just occur without rhyme or reason. As far as the characters that survive and the characters that don't, it's like the author put names in a hat and just drew them. But don't worry, you won't care who survives and who doesn't because...

2) There's no character development. None. There's no one to root for because everyone is one-dimensional. Each character exists only to further the plot. I enjoyed the first third of the book because I felt that eventually Alex Grecia would flesh out the already-existing characters and I would learn to care about them. But I couldn't because of...

3) The overabundance of characters, especially male characters - very few of whom have any significant impact within the story. Charlie this, Walt that, Earl the other. If you've already read the book, go back and look at the beginning of each chapters. See how many start with different names. If you read all of Red Rabbit in one sitting, maybe you can keep track of them all. But unless you're doing that or taking notes by writing brief descriptions after each one, the addition (notice I didn't say "introduction," as, again, characters are just thrown in without any character development) of each and every male character not only convolutes the story, but just blurs everything and everyone together to the point where you just read over the name because you just want to see what happens and how the story ends.

So the common theme? Events just unfold. Underdeveloped versions of people just do things, and things just happen to them. All of this under the backdrop of a bloody wild west where the supernatural occurs. And that's the only reason I gave this book 2 stars. Red Rabbit had so much potential with its premise, but the opportunity was completely squandered.

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plot meandered/side-quested a little too much for my taste, but really loved the writing, world building, & characters. Gory without being too scary, so maybe a good pick for fantasy fans who are horror curious

[Oscar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good western horror story!

[Matthew Galloway · Rating 3 out of 5]

As far as being a magical horror Western, this does a great job. A ragtag band of strangers find themselves on the quest to collect a bounty on a Kansas witch. Their cause may be righteous, but maybe not...? They meet interesting horrors along the way and there are some perfectly described nasty scenes. Nearly everyone seems likable enough.

So why not a five star rating? For me it's getting anything else I wanted from the book. It's extremely plot focused -- so much so that we never get especially in depth about any character. Most of them get a bit of backstory or a foundational scene to get you to know a bit about them, but after that there are multiple plot threads and a large cast that get in the way of greater connection to them. This is especially true when someone is tied to a thread that the author thought required some subterfuge. This not only means that we have pivotal sections of their lives hidden from us, but not all the reveals ended up feeling fair.

This also means that while the author created a diverse cast, there's they mostly feel like they could have been anyone if the one racist character didn't make comments here and there. The ratio of men to women in the giant cast is, of course, heavily skewed towards male. For women we have the witch (possibly evil), the widow (mostly pushed into the story by circumstances and other people), and a mute girl (who one character insists is a boy, leaving some doubt to all readers and a lingering spoilery question in my brain).

Additionally, while all writers are working to manipulate readers' emotions, I feel that this one made some big plays at my heart strings that just missed them. They were perhaps too hasty for the amount of investment I had in the characters and lost the element of surprise. Everything ends up tied in a bit of a messy bow at the end, but I didn't find the finals fates of some of the characters as satisfying as I think I was supposed to.

So, I guess for me, I loved the first third or so and was pulled along well enough for another third. I know the people I can recommend this book to, though, so certainly it has some merit.

[Maxwell Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise of this book intrigued me, and I really wanted to enjoy it but it just didn't quite do it for me. The cast of characters was quite large, and I felt as though I kept being introduced to new characters while I was still trying to grasp who was who from the original group.

The book started strong for me, but the plot line that was beginning to intrigue me resolved itself within the first third of the book and we were back to the slow burn with forgettable characters.

[Greekchoir · Rating 4 out of 5]

The kind of Weird West book I’ve been waiting for.

Red Rabbit follows an eclectic group as they travel across Texas and Kansas to collect the bounty on a witch. Are they prepared? Are they ready to place their lives in the trust of others? Well they’re certainly going to try.

By the second chapter of this book, I knew I was in for a good time. The plot structure is fairly episodic, as the core cast encounter something strange - ghouls, shapeshifters, ghosts, cannibals - and then travel a bit more before their next challenge. This meant that the story could feel repetitive at times, as they pass through one town, then another character follows behind them, and another after that, etc. But I loved the nature of these episodes; this is a book that feels truly American in that it leans into American history and folklore, and I really enjoyed when the story explored that element.

The characterization here is subtle but effective, especially that of Rose and Sadie Grace. Maybe a few too many new characters closer to the end, though I always enjoyed returning to the core cast.

If you’re looking for an Old Man Fantasy that’s also a bit folk horror, it’s a good one!

Please note that I work for Macmillan, but opinions are my own. I am not involved in book production.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

YEEHAW, anyone ready to giddy up on a wild and bloody romp through middle America? Red Rabbit is the perfect combination of Western and horror, and I had an absolute blast reading it.

Basically, this is the story of a ragtag group of misfits who bumble around the frontier, encountering danger after supernatural danger along the way. You have a cowboy, a medic, a witch hunter, a widow who loves horror stories, and a young mute named Rabbit. It’s a little greasy, a little grimy, and just about ten gallons of fun. And it has a whole smorgasbord of horrific things:

Devils!
Witches!
Cannibalism!
Ghosts!
Kansas!

Red Rabbit is one of those books that was just so much fun to read. It was a meandering adventure, chockfull of danger, odd folk, and strange happenings. So if you’re in the mood for something unique this spooky season, definitely pick up Red Rabbit.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cxa9i25rX...

[Zana]

DNF @ 51%

Maybe it's just me, but this reads like someone's D and D adventures and it's not catching my attention. Too many characters that sound too similar to each other and they're all just traveling and picking up new stragglers.

I love Westerns and paranormal stuff, but somehow this didn't work out for me and ended up being pretty boring overall.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book by this author, but probably not the last. One of the best books I have read so far this year. Thoroughly engaging. Excellent audio.

“A folk horror epic about a ragtag posse that must track down a witch through a wild west beset by demons and ghosts.“

Quirky, totally believable characters, each with their distinct voices. Still, there is a seemingly endless stream of new names, so I took copious notes from the beginning of my audio to keep them all straight. I suppose a paper book would have been full of sticky notes… but it was part of the fun. I haven‘t felt so engaged by a book in a while. And I pretty much loved all of the characters, even the evil one(s) and the ones that only appeared briefly.

The character of Ubel Crane made me look up the Salem witch trials. Ichabod Crane came to mind. I could not really pin them down though.

I had a time as a teenager when I read Westerns and I always loved watching them. This book caught the feel of those older books and movies perfectly. Loved the descriptions of the farms, ranches, towns and people in them. I had a movie running in my head in technicolor the whole time. Maybe we could convince Tarantino to make another Western?

The plot had me hooked from the beginning. All the early threads of the different main characters pulled me along and came together nicely. Loved the epilogue! Unfortunately I took a peek at the blurb of the next book in this world. Don‘t do that, it will spoil you terribly! This is a standalone book though, don‘t worry. All the plot elements come to a well executed conclusion.

5/5 🐎🐸🤠🧙‍♀️🐰

Content warning: some pretty gory scenes. Shootings, hangings, disembowelments, plenty of deaths, including children and animals.

[Melissa Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Honestly, I bought this book because I liked the cover and the title. Little did I know that I would enjoy it as much as I did. It a fun story that starts off with one of the main characters but as it flows, we pick up more people here and there. Each have a special place in the book and each has their story to tell. Its a colorful, mixed bag of characters as well with a school teacher, witch, ghosts, bounty hunters, witch hunters, shape shifter and more. Their journey is an interesting one with many emotions along the way. So glad I stumbled upon this story and went with my gut feeling.

[Angustia⋆Cósmica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Getting attached to a band of misfits in the wild wild west wasn't in my plans for the weekend, but here we are.

I withstood so much carnage and gore and yet I got the happy ending I always look forward to during horror books. I call this a win.

Packed with magic, horror, grief, and found families; Red Rabbit only cemented my idea that western horror is a wonderful genre and I should stop sleeping on it. I gotta find more of this stuff!

Just be sure to avoid black toads, should you stumble upon one when reading this.

[Ellery Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can honestly say that I've never read anything like this before. It's a supernatural Western with all the things you'd expect from an epic Western including stagecoaches, standoffs, crossroads, gunfights, and more. Add in ghouls, witches, demons and humans ranging from saintly to downright dastardly, and you've got yourself one heck of an adventure. It was fun, ghoulish, and strangely heartwarming.

[myreadingescapism · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

I have no idea what I just read, but I'm not mad about it? 🐸

[Ghoul Von Horror · Rating 5 out of 5]

TW: Language, drinking, smoking, rape, torture, gory scenes, suicide, racism, sexism, blasphemy, cheating, death of children

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:Sadie Grace is wanted for witchcraft, dead (or alive). And every hired gun in Kansas is out to collect the bounty on her head, including bona fide witch hunter Old Tom and his mysterious, mute ward, Rabbit.

On the road to Burden County, they’re joined by two vagabond cowboys with a strong sense of adventure – but no sense of purpose – and a recently widowed school teacher with nothing left to lose. As their posse grows, so too does the danger.

Racing along the drought-stricken plains in a stolen red stagecoach, they encounter monsters more wicked than witches lurking along the dusty trail. But the crew is determined to get that bounty, or die trying.
Release Date: September 19th, 2023
Genre: Western Folk Horror
Pages: 464
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What I Liked:
1. Loving how the book is written
2. Audiobook narration is great

What I Didn't Like:
1. It ended too soon - can't it just go on forever 💀

Overall Thoughts:
Oh my God I loved every aspect of this book. I loved that it was a western. I loved that there was magic to it. I loved that there were witches and there were ghouls and there was heart to it. The writing was so enthralling that I was along with them.

Every character in this book added to the story. Not one character felt like they should have been left out or they were not needed. From the second I started reading this book I had to know where it was going.

As a huge fan of westerns I feel like this book did something that I haven't really seen in movies or other books. It's hard to have a book that is a historical fiction not feel weighed down with just details and not feel boring. But somehow this book managed to keep your interest while still feeling for the characters. The fact that Sadie is painted as this terrible evil witch but then we come to find out that really she is the mother to Rabbit is just a twist I did not anticipate or see coming. Maybe that's a little naive but I think that's great storytelling because I wasn't even thinking about the end I was just enjoying the book as I was going.

Loved the part about the cannibalism. I had a moment where I stopped reading and said ew.

Final Thoughts:
Cool just leave me here in tears with that ending. Oh my what an amazing story. If I could I'd give a million stars.

Reading this book did kind of remind me of The Wizard of Oz but not in a bad way. It just made this book have heart.

Recommend For:
• Westerns
• Witches
• Magical books

IG | Blog

Thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Tor Publishing for this advanced copy of the book & audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Lata · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.
I love when a western is paired with fantasy and/or horror. There's something intriguing and a little frightening when it works, and it definitely works well in this novel.

Alex Grecian weaves several story threads together stemming from the opening scene of a man deciding that his fiancé was killed by Sadie Grace, a witch, and that Sadie must die. A bounty is raised and word spreads far, pulling in numerous people: a witch master (hunter) with more book learning than anything and proves irrelevant quickly, a series of violent men eager to kill an unarmed woman, and the main characters, who are an odd group: a recently widowed and lonely woman, a pair of cowboys deciding going north is just as good as any other direction, and who are accompanying an elderly witch master whose claims and knowledge are a little suspect, and his charge, a seemingly mute girl.

Along the way, the five encounter a variety of threats, including a demon, shapeshifters, ghosts, and cannibals. Grecian weaves the different story threads together, creating a story of people looking for meaning and direction, and who make numerous mistakes because of faulty assumptions and biases, or poor information.

For all that this is a story full of sadness and sudden violence committed by hard, bigoted men, there is clever humour in the way several, separate people are drawn to the town of Riddle, where Sadie lives. Sadie herself is highly capable, dispatching various threats with a minimum of fuss.

I loved the rhythm of Grecian's dialogue, the compelling characters, and the atmosphere, and greatly enjoyed this story of magic, misfits, dusty roads, strange creatures, and big skies.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Rebellion for this ARC in exchange for my review.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Red Rabbit is a western horror and despite that not being my typical genre I found this to be a ton of fun.
I found this story to be like a fun romp through the country with a variety of disturbing, even horrifying, content sprinkled in. I also really enjoyed how the story didn’t stick to the stereotypes it could have easily fallen into. Characters had more nuance to them than I expected which made it much more enjoyable.
Would recommend this to anyone who is looking for something to read and thanks to the publisher for the arc 😊

[Kurryreads (Kerry) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Review: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2f2y7gb/