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Wretch: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 24 Feb 26"If you only read one more horror novel this year, make sure this is it.” —Edward Lee
Wretch is a relentless descent into crime, horror, and vengeance. A brutal unflinching thriller for fans of organized crime sagas, dark detective fiction, and monsters born in the shadows of science.
Chicago is choking under the hottest summer on record, but the true heat comes from the blood spilled on its streets.
Detective Donnie Lynch trails a killer who shouldn’t exist. Mob boss Tico “The Meatgrinder” Tortellio has stepped out from the shadows of his empire with a personal vendetta to avenge his daughter—and nothing short of blood will settle the score. Both men are hunting the same man— if “man” is still the right word…
The elusive killer, Derek Hoffman, is a steroid-abusing-sociopath twisted beyond recognition whose body and mind have been grotesquely transformed after his participation in a clinical trial for an experimental ED-arousal-drug called, LIBIDONAL. Hoffman has become something monstrous, a predator driven by lust, rage, and a thirst for blood.
With the city becoming a killing ground for a new apex predator, Lynch and Tortellio race toward the same target. But who will reach Hoffman first? And when they do, can bullets or brutality be enough to stop him?
Wretch is a relentless descent into crime, horror, and vengeance. A brutal unflinching thriller for fans of organized crime sagas, dark detective fiction, and monsters born in the shadows of science.
Chicago is choking under the hottest summer on record, but the true heat comes from the blood spilled on its streets.
Detective Donnie Lynch trails a killer who shouldn’t exist. Mob boss Tico “The Meatgrinder” Tortellio has stepped out from the shadows of his empire with a personal vendetta to avenge his daughter—and nothing short of blood will settle the score. Both men are hunting the same man— if “man” is still the right word…
The elusive killer, Derek Hoffman, is a steroid-abusing-sociopath twisted beyond recognition whose body and mind have been grotesquely transformed after his participation in a clinical trial for an experimental ED-arousal-drug called, LIBIDONAL. Hoffman has become something monstrous, a predator driven by lust, rage, and a thirst for blood.
With the city becoming a killing ground for a new apex predator, Lynch and Tortellio race toward the same target. But who will reach Hoffman first? And when they do, can bullets or brutality be enough to stop him?
- GenresHorror
376 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication February 24, 2026
8842 people want to read
About the author
Jeremy Wagner
15 books113 followers“RABID HEART maintains a sharp, persistently moving narrative…an endlessly entertaining zombie tale that checks off genre conventions with style.”
— Kirkus Reviews
"RABID HEART evokes a mix of Misfits lyrics and grainy VHS horror classics. The plot draws parallels to Cormac McCarthy's The Road..."
— Publishers Weekly Author Spotlight
"Zombies and the end of days don't stand a chance against true love. Jeremy Wagner's RABID HEART is good, clean apocalyptic fun."
— Alma Katsu, author of The Hunger
"RABID HEART. This book is sick and sweet, and I say that with respect!"
— Peter Blauner, NY Times bestselling author of The Intruder and Sunrise Highway
"RABID HEART is Wagner’s finest work to date. Exciting and near-addictive. A page-turner that avid horror aficionados will be drawn to with glee.”
— Dead Rhetoric Magazine
“RABID HEART is a next level opus that raises the stakes considerably. And good goddamn, is it a white-knuckle thrill ride.”
— Decibel Magazine
"Wagner debuts with a highly entertaining blend…of heavy metal and hardcore horror…
Electrified by breakneck pacing, a cast of over-the-top characters and memorable lines...this thriller neatly exploits the considerable shared fanbase of apocalyptic fiction and Apocalyptica."
— PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
“THE ARMAGEDDON CHORD is like The Da Vinci Code with a heavy-metal soundtrack!”
— Katherine Turman, Co-author of Louder Than Hell
“Combining the world of heavy metal with malevolent supernatural forces Wagner has created quite a fantastic read… a riveting thriller that is sure to keep readers glued to the pages until the very end…
The unique blending of ancient history, religion and heavy metal make this book unlike any others I have read…. if you're a reader of horror or fiction novels or if you're a musician, then THE ARMAGEDDON CHORD will be right up your alley. I know it kept me up turning pages into the wee hours of the morning.”
— PURE GRAIN AUDIO
“THE ARMAGEDDON CHORD is a quick, enjoyable read full of action, violence, hell-spawned (and human) monsters and original variations of scenarios common to end-time thrillers.
— DECIBEL MAGAZINE
“Jeremy is a pretty impressive dude.”
— PETER STRAUB, New York Times Bestselling Author, A Dark Matter, Ghost Story
“Jeremy Wagner is an up-and-coming voice in the realm of horror fiction.
His talent shines through this debut novel, and I can’t wait to see what his next offering will be.
A real page-turner, THE ARMAGEDDON CHORD strikes just the right note!”
— YASMINE GALENORN, New York Times/USA Today Bestselling Author The Otherworld Series
“THE ARMAGEDDON CHORD is a wild phantasmagoric thrill ride that will satisfy lovers of the darkest fantasy fiction and the heaviest of metal."
—PETER BLAUNER, New York Times Bestselling Author, The Intruder, Slipping Into Darkness
In this youth, Wagner would find himself writing several short stories. The hobby grew with him as he combined his love for stories with his songwriting as guitarist in the band Broken Hope.
He found that he enjoyed writing horror lyrics and that this process helped him become a better writer as a whole. Wagner began writing short stories based on his lyrics, and began to have his stories published. In the mid-'90s, Wagner started writing his first unpublished novels. Through the combination of his writing with his knowledge of music, Wagner came up with the basic idea for THE ARMAGEDDON CHORD.
Wagner has written lyrics to more than 70 published songs along with recording six albums, two MTV videos, and touring in 16 countries with his bands, Broken Hope and Lupara. Wagner has been published in RIP, Terrorizer, Metal Edge, Microhorror magazines and works of short stories through Perseus Books, St. Martin's Press, and Ravenous Romance.
Wagner's most recent published works include the short story, Romance Ain't Dead, which appears as the first story in the zombie-romance anthology Hungry For Your Love (St.
— Kirkus Reviews
"RABID HEART evokes a mix of Misfits lyrics and grainy VHS horror classics. The plot draws parallels to Cormac McCarthy's The Road..."
— Publishers Weekly Author Spotlight
"Zombies and the end of days don't stand a chance against true love. Jeremy Wagner's RABID HEART is good, clean apocalyptic fun."
— Alma Katsu, author of The Hunger
"RABID HEART. This book is sick and sweet, and I say that with respect!"
— Peter Blauner, NY Times bestselling author of The Intruder and Sunrise Highway
"RABID HEART is Wagner’s finest work to date. Exciting and near-addictive. A page-turner that avid horror aficionados will be drawn to with glee.”
— Dead Rhetoric Magazine
“RABID HEART is a next level opus that raises the stakes considerably. And good goddamn, is it a white-knuckle thrill ride.”
— Decibel Magazine
"Wagner debuts with a highly entertaining blend…of heavy metal and hardcore horror…
Electrified by breakneck pacing, a cast of over-the-top characters and memorable lines...this thriller neatly exploits the considerable shared fanbase of apocalyptic fiction and Apocalyptica."
— PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
“THE ARMAGEDDON CHORD is like The Da Vinci Code with a heavy-metal soundtrack!”
— Katherine Turman, Co-author of Louder Than Hell
“Combining the world of heavy metal with malevolent supernatural forces Wagner has created quite a fantastic read… a riveting thriller that is sure to keep readers glued to the pages until the very end…
The unique blending of ancient history, religion and heavy metal make this book unlike any others I have read…. if you're a reader of horror or fiction novels or if you're a musician, then THE ARMAGEDDON CHORD will be right up your alley. I know it kept me up turning pages into the wee hours of the morning.”
— PURE GRAIN AUDIO
“THE ARMAGEDDON CHORD is a quick, enjoyable read full of action, violence, hell-spawned (and human) monsters and original variations of scenarios common to end-time thrillers.
— DECIBEL MAGAZINE
“Jeremy is a pretty impressive dude.”
— PETER STRAUB, New York Times Bestselling Author, A Dark Matter, Ghost Story
“Jeremy Wagner is an up-and-coming voice in the realm of horror fiction.
His talent shines through this debut novel, and I can’t wait to see what his next offering will be.
A real page-turner, THE ARMAGEDDON CHORD strikes just the right note!”
— YASMINE GALENORN, New York Times/USA Today Bestselling Author The Otherworld Series
“THE ARMAGEDDON CHORD is a wild phantasmagoric thrill ride that will satisfy lovers of the darkest fantasy fiction and the heaviest of metal."
—PETER BLAUNER, New York Times Bestselling Author, The Intruder, Slipping Into Darkness
In this youth, Wagner would find himself writing several short stories. The hobby grew with him as he combined his love for stories with his songwriting as guitarist in the band Broken Hope.
He found that he enjoyed writing horror lyrics and that this process helped him become a better writer as a whole. Wagner began writing short stories based on his lyrics, and began to have his stories published. In the mid-'90s, Wagner started writing his first unpublished novels. Through the combination of his writing with his knowledge of music, Wagner came up with the basic idea for THE ARMAGEDDON CHORD.
Wagner has written lyrics to more than 70 published songs along with recording six albums, two MTV videos, and touring in 16 countries with his bands, Broken Hope and Lupara. Wagner has been published in RIP, Terrorizer, Metal Edge, Microhorror magazines and works of short stories through Perseus Books, St. Martin's Press, and Ravenous Romance.
Wagner's most recent published works include the short story, Romance Ain't Dead, which appears as the first story in the zombie-romance anthology Hungry For Your Love (St.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 30, 2025
Reading this book felt like watching a train wreck and being unable to look away, except the train is actually a roided out sociopath who's on so many drugs he becomes an unstoppable force of mayhem and depravity.
Wretch is definitely not for the squeamish or faint of heart. It's gross, it's disgusting, it's gory. It takes place during a hot and humid as hell Summer, so everyone is pissed off and miserable and you know all that gore stinks especially bad.
Massive content warning for sexual violence with this book. Hell, basically need content warnings for most things in here. I'd say that if you're not okay with horror and crime fiction that leans way more than a bit towards the extreme side, you should probably give this one a pass.
Though, as I stated before, I could not look away. (Even though sometimes I definitely wanted to.) The characters are compelling (and a few of them are downright despicable), the premise is completely gonzo, and I feel like I need a scalding hot shower after reading this. A freaky, disgusting, horrific thriller.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dead Sky Publishing for the review copy!
Wretch is definitely not for the squeamish or faint of heart. It's gross, it's disgusting, it's gory. It takes place during a hot and humid as hell Summer, so everyone is pissed off and miserable and you know all that gore stinks especially bad.
Massive content warning for sexual violence with this book. Hell, basically need content warnings for most things in here. I'd say that if you're not okay with horror and crime fiction that leans way more than a bit towards the extreme side, you should probably give this one a pass.
Though, as I stated before, I could not look away. (Even though sometimes I definitely wanted to.) The characters are compelling (and a few of them are downright despicable), the premise is completely gonzo, and I feel like I need a scalding hot shower after reading this. A freaky, disgusting, horrific thriller.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dead Sky Publishing for the review copy!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Let me start off by saying that at no point was I ever bored reading this. Also, I got to the end of this story and had no notes. Do I think it's good? Not necessarily. Is it bad? Certainly not. But I absolutely and wholeheartedly recommend that you read this at least once.
I don't normally include spoilers in my reviews but in this case, I think it's important that readers should know what they're stepping into. This is the story of Detective One-Ball, a hard boiled detective with only one testicle and a habit of mentioning that fact at every opportunity, and Tony Calzoney, an overwhelmingly Italian mob boss to the point where he actually says "fuhgeddaboudit" in the story, and they're relentless hunt for Derek the Boner Monster.
Without giving it all away, Derek is a deeply traumatized individual with anger issues out the wazoo and instead of dealing with his problems, he took enough steroids to become the Hulk. One thing leads to another and he overdoses on experimental Viagra which causes him to turn into the Boner Monster and he begins raping and killing everything in his path.
This book gets full points for creativity, if nothing else. It's also one of the most bizarre things I've ever read. And that's saying something. This book was a ton of fun even if it's not necessarily high literature. I wouldn't classify it as horror per se but I definitely don't regret making it my last book of the year.
I don't normally include spoilers in my reviews but in this case, I think it's important that readers should know what they're stepping into. This is the story of Detective One-Ball, a hard boiled detective with only one testicle and a habit of mentioning that fact at every opportunity, and Tony Calzoney, an overwhelmingly Italian mob boss to the point where he actually says "fuhgeddaboudit" in the story, and they're relentless hunt for Derek the Boner Monster.
Without giving it all away, Derek is a deeply traumatized individual with anger issues out the wazoo and instead of dealing with his problems, he took enough steroids to become the Hulk. One thing leads to another and he overdoses on experimental Viagra which causes him to turn into the Boner Monster and he begins raping and killing everything in his path.
This book gets full points for creativity, if nothing else. It's also one of the most bizarre things I've ever read. And that's saying something. This book was a ton of fun even if it's not necessarily high literature. I wouldn't classify it as horror per se but I definitely don't regret making it my last book of the year.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 23, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this early. I was very intrigued by the premise, but was a bit let down. The story is all over the place. While I enjoy stories that swap character perspectives or journey back and forth through time, this story felt very disjointed. It all came together, but it took me awhile to get through it. Has great potential and I'm sure others will love it, but wasn't for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Trigger Warnings: SA, Extreme Violence, Gore, Drug use, explicit content
Horror fans, you need to brace yourselves for this one. ’Wretch’ is a straight-up descent into the darkest, most unhinged corners of the genre. If you like your horror visceral, gory, and totally disgusting, in the absolute best way possible, then stop what you're doing and pick this up.
The novel weaves together three separate threads: you have a gritty detective, a mob boss named Tico, and a truly feral, drug-fueled bodybuilder named Derek. When Tico’s daughter is killed, his quest for vengeance against Derek kicks off a relentless race against the clock, with Detective Lynch hot on both their tails.
This is not a story for the faint of heart. The ride is packed with gory details, primal deaths, and explicit sexual content. The author doesn't hold back, but honestly, that's what makes it so effective, so naturally visceral that tugs at the primal chord in all of us.
The pace is perfect, it grabs you and doesn't let go till the last page, the writing is enthralling, even in the most disturbing scenes. The characters are real, you’ll care about them, whether you like them or hate them, you’ll most certainly feel something and won’t stay indifferent.
Many, many thanks toJeremy Wagner, Dead Sky Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. This is a voluntary review, reflecting solely my opinion.
Horror fans, you need to brace yourselves for this one. ’Wretch’ is a straight-up descent into the darkest, most unhinged corners of the genre. If you like your horror visceral, gory, and totally disgusting, in the absolute best way possible, then stop what you're doing and pick this up.
The novel weaves together three separate threads: you have a gritty detective, a mob boss named Tico, and a truly feral, drug-fueled bodybuilder named Derek. When Tico’s daughter is killed, his quest for vengeance against Derek kicks off a relentless race against the clock, with Detective Lynch hot on both their tails.
This is not a story for the faint of heart. The ride is packed with gory details, primal deaths, and explicit sexual content. The author doesn't hold back, but honestly, that's what makes it so effective, so naturally visceral that tugs at the primal chord in all of us.
The pace is perfect, it grabs you and doesn't let go till the last page, the writing is enthralling, even in the most disturbing scenes. The characters are real, you’ll care about them, whether you like them or hate them, you’ll most certainly feel something and won’t stay indifferent.
Many, many thanks toJeremy Wagner, Dead Sky Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. This is a voluntary review, reflecting solely my opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Rating 3.75 Rounded up
Though I do enjoy a well done crime family story, I am not usually one who reads detective/cop novels but the premise for Wretch just pulled me in so I had to give it a read.
The story is fast paced and is a bit all over the place in some places in the story. This made it a bit taxing to keep up with at times but I suspect the chaotic aspect was intentional. It seems to fit with the graphic and frenzied horror the author delivers. For fans of extreme horror Wretch delivers a visceral, unrelenting ride with vivid writing and deeply disturbing scenes. So casual readers of horror beware you have been warned. Wagner delivers a hybrid of crime fiction and extreme horror that is savage, furious and at times shockingly grotesque. In a way that you cannot stop reading but at the same time you are questioning your own morals for continuing. Yet you continue.
There is an underlying message to the story that speaks to the decay of society, the use or abuse of power and control, and the moral lines people are willing to cross to protect their own. Can vengeance truly masquerade as justice?
Bottom line it this story is not for the weak so if your squeamish, check your trigger warnings but its a must-read if you love horror that pushes boundaries and aims to make the reader completely uncomfortable.
Though I do enjoy a well done crime family story, I am not usually one who reads detective/cop novels but the premise for Wretch just pulled me in so I had to give it a read.
The story is fast paced and is a bit all over the place in some places in the story. This made it a bit taxing to keep up with at times but I suspect the chaotic aspect was intentional. It seems to fit with the graphic and frenzied horror the author delivers. For fans of extreme horror Wretch delivers a visceral, unrelenting ride with vivid writing and deeply disturbing scenes. So casual readers of horror beware you have been warned. Wagner delivers a hybrid of crime fiction and extreme horror that is savage, furious and at times shockingly grotesque. In a way that you cannot stop reading but at the same time you are questioning your own morals for continuing. Yet you continue.
There is an underlying message to the story that speaks to the decay of society, the use or abuse of power and control, and the moral lines people are willing to cross to protect their own. Can vengeance truly masquerade as justice?
Bottom line it this story is not for the weak so if your squeamish, check your trigger warnings but its a must-read if you love horror that pushes boundaries and aims to make the reader completely uncomfortable.
October 30, 2025
A visceral plunge into the grotesque, Wretch is not for the faint-hearted—but for those who dare, it’s a masterclass in horror’s rawest form. Wagner’s prose is lean and relentless, slicing through the page with surgical precision. There’s no room for comfort here, only the slow, suffocating descent into a world where humanity is stripped bare.
What struck me most wasn’t just the gore (though there’s plenty), but the emotional decay that pulses beneath it. The characters aren’t merely victims of circumstance—they’re complicit, corrupted, and achingly real. Wagner doesn’t just write horror; he anatomizes it, exposing the soft underbelly of fear, guilt, and survival.
The pacing is brutal in the best way: no lull, no reprieve. And yet, amid the carnage, there’s a strange poetry to the madness—a rhythm that lingers long after the final page.
Perfect for fans of Clive Barker and early Stephen King, Wretch is a blood-soaked symphony of dread. Read it with the lights on… and maybe don’t eat beforehand.
Thanks to Jeremy Wagner, the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
What struck me most wasn’t just the gore (though there’s plenty), but the emotional decay that pulses beneath it. The characters aren’t merely victims of circumstance—they’re complicit, corrupted, and achingly real. Wagner doesn’t just write horror; he anatomizes it, exposing the soft underbelly of fear, guilt, and survival.
The pacing is brutal in the best way: no lull, no reprieve. And yet, amid the carnage, there’s a strange poetry to the madness—a rhythm that lingers long after the final page.
Perfect for fans of Clive Barker and early Stephen King, Wretch is a blood-soaked symphony of dread. Read it with the lights on… and maybe don’t eat beforehand.
Thanks to Jeremy Wagner, the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
November 2, 2025
This book was gross, disgusting, disturbing and twisted as hell and I absolutely loved it. This stepped out of the normal comfort zone and was a crazy ride till the very end. I have to think was the author the crazy one for writing it or am I for not only reading but throughly enjoying it
If you are easily offended or have triggers then I'd check first as this book needs a content warning for everything possible lol
Jeremy I salute you 👏
If you are easily offended or have triggers then I'd check first as this book needs a content warning for everything possible lol
Jeremy I salute you 👏
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews