Alex Easton is a retired soldier for the Galatian army. One day, they receive a letter from their childhood friend, Madeline Usher, informing them that she is gravely ill and might be close to death. After reading the letter, Easton rushes back to the old Usher Manor in the countryside of Ruritania. Upon arrival, Alex finds that Madeline looks far worse than they initially thought she would be. She is found multiple times sleepwalking and talking in strange voices. Easton then realizes it is up to them to try and save Madeline and the walls of the old Usher Manor.

I will start by saying that I never actually read Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher, so that might be all my fault. At first, I was a little worried when I started this. The novel did have a very slow start and I almost found myself DNF’ing it. The first 35-40% of the book, I felt, may have been dragged out way more than it should have been. There was a lot of rambling about war, the Galatian language, and other things. Luckily though, I stuck it out and I am really glad I did! The story, though very slow, was beautifully written and Kingfisher did a wonderful job building up beautiful scenery and gave us very haunting descriptions. I also couldn’t get enough of the wonderful Miss. Potter. It also wasn’t until after I finished the book that I realized Easton was non-binary, which I love! I am so glad that Kingfisher incorporated the LQGTQ+ community into this wonderful retelling. Once I learned that, I felt quite awful about not really understanding and being confused by the Galatian language explanation and it all fell into place. All in all, this was a beautiful and haunting read and I look forward to reading more by the author!

Big thanks to NetGalley, T. Kingfisher, and the publishers for allowing me to receive the ARC of this book.

When I was offered an ARC of a T. Kingfisher novel, I absolutely jumped at the chance. The cover, the title, the fact that it's a retelling of an Edgar Allen Poe tale...it had to go right to the top of my TBR list. I couldn't wait to get started.

I am SO GLAD I prioritized this one!

Dark and gloomy and atmospheric, this novel follows Alex, a retired soldier, to visit their friends Madeline and Roderick. Madeline is ill and, judging from her letter, practically on death's doorstep. When Alex arrives at their dilapidated manor they find so much is worse; Madeline is little more than bones, Roderick is paranoid and full of wild fantasies, and there's a strange fungus making the rabbits in the area behave strangely...

This novel gave me something I've never experienced before when, two chapters in, you realize the main character is nonbinary. I was filled with delight at seeing a character like me in a setting that had nothing to do with their gender, solving mysteries and investigating spookiness. The book uses invented pronouns for Alex and eases you into them in a way that seems almost effortless.

Loved this read, which I proved by losing a decent amount of sleep by staying up to read it.

A witty and scary take on Poe's Fall of the House of Usher, although familiarity with that story is not neccesary to appreciate Kingfisher's novel-- mildly gender-bending, and by turns creepy and delightfully droll. The horrible, gloomy, isolated mansion and the seeming madness befalling its owners are the stuff of nightmares. Their friends dismiss and rationalize rather than intervening, conscious of what is proper and refusing to admit to the horror-- and who doesn't bury their head in the sand when a dear friend sleepwalks and speaks of herself in the third person?
Most enjoyable. Highly recommended for public library collections.

Come for the fungal vibes, stay for the rotting manor with too many secrets hidden in its depths.

If you’ve been jonesing for another terrifying fungal story after Mexican Gothic, then this has to be at the top of your list. T. Kingfisher delivers a masterful retelling that delivers on all of the original creep factors before amplifying it to terrible conclusions.

There is a masterful blend of dread and understanding, of the characters knowing they are out of their depth and forcing themselves to continue on anyway. If you enjoy terrible fungi, rotting manors, or macabre retelling, then this novella has GOT to be on your TBR.

Fans of Jane Lawrence and Mexican Gothic will recoil at this retelling of the House of Usher. With a laudable protagonist in Easton, a creepy manor with too many secrets, and a emphasis on fungal ferocities, there is plenty here to love. Even if I will be avoiding mushrooms in my food for the near future.

T. Kingfisher’s What Moves the Dead is a self-indulgent fantasy take on Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” that, in spite of its short length, felt far too long.
I’d never read a T. Kingfisher book before, and since Tor seems to be putting out books by her every month, I decided to try one. In this case, it was a mistake, and I don’t think I’ll pick up another. The story is an adaptation, for lack of a better word, of Poe’s work. It’s definitely got a dark, grotesque aesthetic that some readers will enjoy and that echoes Poe. It’s also got a weirdly comic protagonist; I found the humor grating and trying too hard. Everything about it, from the initial description of the mushrooms, to the identity of the protagonist, to the humor felt self-indulgent. I don’t always mind a self-indulgent book, but in this case, it didn’t work for me.
This is one of those books where I felt like it was published because an editor or a publishing house an agenda; I have no idea who the readers are for this story, so I can’t offer a recommendation.

I don’t think that I’ve ever read anything like this book before, and I loved it. I really enjoyed the descriptions of all the fungi, albeit disturbing. I stayed up all night to finish it because I just had to know how it was going to end.

4/5. Overall I think this was a unique and interesting retelling of Fall of the House of Usher. We get very little explanation in Poe’s original story so this was fun. I liked the clever use of pronouns and the main character is memorable. There are some slight issues with characters who seemingly disappear for chunks of the book. For instance, the servants in the house seem to have no baring on the story and I think they could have been left out altogether. I found myself distracted by thoughts of where the servants were during some of the action. The character Angus seemed to dip in and out of the story which was also distracting.

When the story hits its climax, the horror is stunning. I found it incredibly tense and gothic to the max. The believe the highest praise I can give a horror is that it is memorable, and I don’t think I’ll be forgetting the imagery of the final scenes of this book any time soon.

“The dead don’t walk. Except sometimes, when they do.”

Officer Alex Easton rushes to Ruritania when they learn their childhood friend, Madeline Usher, is dying. Finding the manse surrounded by fungus and a glowing lake, they speculate as to the cause of Maddy and her brother Roderick’s strange behavior. Can Alex, an American doctor, and a mycologist solve the mystery of the House of Usher before it is too late?

No one does creepy horror better than T. Kingfisher, so who better to write a reimagining of Edgar Allen Poe’s classic Gothic tale of The Fall of the House of Usher?!

And…

She nailed it!

Kingfisher is an absolute master. She seamlessly fills in the gaps of information left out of the original tale and inserts a plausible, clever, and original explanation for Poe’s initial plot points.

And the creepy hares? I don’t think that I will be able to think of sweet Thumper 🐇 in the same way!

The addition of a gender bending main character of Alex Easton, as well as a new set of pronouns make this retelling unique and current while keeping within the original setting of 1890.

Do not skip the author’s note if you want to know more about how and why this retelling was born! I’m so glad she decided to complete this novella! I loved it!

I highly recommend this book to readers of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Shirley Jackson, and M.R. Carey.

5/5 stars

Expected publication date 7/12/22

Thank you to Jordan Hanley at MacMillan-Tor/Forge for the ARC of What Moves the Dead in exchange for an honest review.

I read this book in a day. As an adult, I have NEVER been able to focus long enough to read an entire book start to finish, until now.

As someone who is a huge fan of Poe, Mexican Gothic, retellings of classic stories, and the style of gothic horror in general, you'd think I'd be the perfect candidate to be utterly thrilled by this book— and I was!

This story is obviously a retelling of Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher. We've got Roderick and Madeline Usher, we've got the dilapidated manor, we've got fungus, and we've got mysterious behavior/happenings, all the right ingredients to retell this creepy tale.

I'm the kind of person who finds the most horrific elements of a story are often the small, quiet ones; the ones that grow and grow until they're so big that even though you saw it coming, it's enormity is still distressing. This is the kind of horror Poe was a master at, the kind I grew up reading, the kind that is a slow decent into utter madness.

While Kingfisher doesn't take us on a journey of madness, she does an excellent job of creating that eerie off-putting feeling that slowly brings you to the edge and keeps you there. Her writing style is both plain yet absolutely captivating and she even created new sets of pronouns that are native to our main character's home country! After hearing Kingfisher's name multiple times, I'm glad I finally gave her writing a chance. This is the first book I've ever read by her and I definitely plan on reading more.

If I MUST point out weaknesses, I'd say they are the lack of character development and the ending. The only well fleshed out character is Alex, our main character and sole perspective. (That being said, they're fantastic to read from. I was unsure of the humor at the beginning but once I got accustomed to it I began to enjoy their quips and ridiculous comments/thoughts.) The other characters were given small backgrounds but little to no personality whatsoever. I feel as if I know Alex's horse better than I know some of the other characters. As a result of that, I felt absolutely no emotional connection when something that was probably meant to be sad happened.

As for the ending, it was a bit too finite and happy for my tastes, which is completely subjective. I almost wish it had fallen into the horror cliché of "yay everything's fine! *Time lapse* something weird happens to hint that everything is in fact, not fine or resolved". Maybe happy endings are for some people, just not me!

Overall, I really genuinely liked this book. It was fast-paced, attention grabbing, and got me out of a reading slump. This retelling somehow manages to stay loyal to the original story but also find a path of it's own. It provides creative background to some questions that Poe left unanswered in a way that I found wholly enjoyable.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a copy of this book to review !

What Moves The Dead
by T. Kingfisher


What a fabulous book! I was so excited to receive a copy because I've really enjoyed the author's previous novels. What Moves The Dead exceeded all of my high expectations.

Set in the mid twentieth century, the story is a creative twist on Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher. It has all the important elements to brew up a great story and some extra special ingredients which really makes it a unique read.

Terrifyingly fantastical with a dose of dark humor on the side. Of the five main characters, the gender bending Lieutenant Easton is most brilliantly portrayed along with the unflappable Miss Potter and of course the ghastly siblings, Roderick & Madeline Usher.

It takes a special book to make you jump with fright at every little noise and then laugh out loud a few moments later. T. Kingfisher has once again proven to be one of the best writers of the horror genre. What Moves The Dead is a treasure I can highly recommend.

5 Stars !

I'm not usually into horror books, and this one reminded me of a horror version of Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer. It was a good book, even if outside my regular wheelhouse.

This retelling of "The Fall of the House of Usher" was precisely the kind of horror I like: creepy and suspenseful rather than gory. The first-person narrator hit me immediately with a very distinctive voice. I liked Alex and could relate to that character very well—the bravery (although I would not be as brave), the desire to help out friends, the need to get to the bottom of the mystery of what is wrong with the house and its ailing occupants. Bonus points for the orange-eyed hares and the cover that absolutely fits. Amazing description of the house and its decrepit surroundings. This one will make you want to go jump in a shower.

My only quibble (and it is a mild one) was that I like to draw the conclusion myself that something is "Gothic" rather than being told so, which the author did twice.

I immediately determined on a course of reading everything this author has written for adults.

I received an electronic ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Edgar Allen Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher is a short story, but this retelling is a full-length novel. The basics are the same: a creepy decrepit house by a tarn, a set of ailing siblings, and a visitor. Of course, Edgar Allen Poe was a master of immediate atmosphere, describing the scene in an eerie way from the first paragraph. Here it takes a little longer to enter the story and get a feel for the voice and the scares. But don’t get me wrong, What Moves the Dead has its chills too. I am particularly sensitive to descriptions of things that don’t move right, and we definitely get some of that here.

Since this is an expanded version, we get more characters with more fleshed out backgrounds. The unnamed narrator of Poe’s story we only know as a childhood friend of Roderick’s. Here, the narrator is Alex Easton, a non-binary Lieutenant whose pronouns are ka/kan. (This is explained slowly in quite a natural manner in the book, but, essentially, in Gallacia where Easton and the Ushers are from, there are separate pronouns for males, females, children, god, inanimate objects and soldiers – who trade their previous gender when sworn.)
We also get a fully-fleshed out doctor character (an American named Denton) instead of unnamed family doctor Poe described as having an “expression of low cunning and perplexity.” And we get treated to two new characters: a very English amateur mycologist named Eugenia Potter (aunt of Beatrix), and Alex’s batman, Angus.

These sensible, stalwart characters are played against the Usher siblings who are sensitive and high-strung by nature, as well as impoverished and therefore underfed, pale, chilled, poorly dressed and isolated. Madeline has written to Lieutenant Easton that she is gravely ill and Easton has come to see what can be done. And from there, the atmosphere becomes stifling, oppressive and eerie. The sense of place is very strong and gothic.

Often scary/unnatural stories with explanations can be polarizing. Some people want to know what exactly, is happening here? While others would rather be left with some mystery. The Fall of the House of Usher leaves room for some speculation, while What Moves the Dead has a definite resolution. No spoilers, but I found the ending very satisfying.

Overall, I enjoyed this very much and would recommend to horror and gothic readers and those who like stories with a strong sense of place, especially if that place is foreboding and creepy. A similar read, in recent memory, would be Mexican Gothic. I’ve never read anything by T. Kingfisher before, but as someone who reads widely but loves horror, I consider myself a fan now. I’m definitely going to pick up more by her, and I encourage anyone else who likes creepiness to as well!

This retelling of the House of Usher was amazing! T.Kingfisher is fast becoming my favourite creepy tale author. Beautifully eerie, and dark.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc

This was amazing! I truly loved every word of ‘What Moves The Dead’. T. Kingfisher wrote this so hauntingly well. I loved the prose in this story, it flowed beautifully and I couldn’t stop reading. I have so many things I could say about Kingfisher’s retelling of EAP’s “The Fall of the House of Usher”. This was an extremely atmospheric read. I could feel the damp, cold air and the almost suffocating ruin of the manor. I loved that the narrator, Easton, had such unique pronouns; this gave an interesting voice to the story.

As far as creepiness goes, I love when a book can literally make my hair stand up; this one did that. There were definitely added touches that made this book even more-so unnerving. I don’t want to say to much (as I don’t want to spoil it), but you need to read this one. I wanted so much to love it and I truly did. I would read this one again (maybe even a few more times).

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan-Tor/Forge for this ARC.

I love this author's writing a lot. I just finished The Twisted Ones and gave it 4 stars. This novella, however, I don't think was a fit for me. The writing was there, and the incorporation of nature in her stories always gets me. This story being a somewhat retelling was where it lost me. I have never read the Usher poem before, and it doesn't seem to be a story that holds my attention. Any other horror novels she writes I will read. This one jist didn't make a good fit for me. The over all story was fine, but not a stand out.

“What Moves the Dead” by T. Kingfisher is all kinds of morbid, unsettling, and downright creepy. The tale is a modern reimagining of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” that further develops the original themes and ideas to create something that is even more terrifying and messed up. Fans of Kingfisher and those who enjoy snuggling up with a good horror will not be disappointed by this riveting read!

Even though it’s been years since Alex Easton last saw their childhood friends, word of Madeline Usher’s failing health has them rushing to the countryside manor where the Usher’s live. It doesn’t take Easton long to realize something is off about the ancestral home and its property. There are weird fungi growing all over the place, the animals are behaving bizarrely, not to mention the lake has the strange tendency to glow. Somehow, Easton believes they are connected to Madeline’s worsening condition and her brother's plight of nerves. Easton and their trusted friends must work together to figure out what unusual circumstances plague the land and home of the Usher’s before they fall victim.

Biased or not, Kingfisher did a brilliant job offering a spookier, more unsettling, and satisfactory read of “The Fall of the House of Usher.” Perhaps I don’t appreciate the classics enough, but I felt “What Moves the Dead” had me far more invested in the plot and characters than Poe’s ever did. The reimagining was a bit slow in the beginning as the characters were being introduced and the storyline set up, but once the story got rolling it was like diving deep into the rabbit hole of insanity and utter mayhem.

This is a story that is impossible to explain without potentially spoiling all of its secrets, but it will definitely make your skin crawl! If this seems like your kind of book, add it to your reading list, save the date, and definitely give this book a read when it hits the shelves. It’s one you won’t want to miss out on! “What Moves the Dead” by T. Kingfisher is expected to be published on July 12th, 2022.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge (Tor Nightfire) for inviting me to read this e-arc and giving me the opportunity to share my honest opinion in this review.

Creepy, unnerving, and brilliant! Full of the perfect blend of gothic horror, mycology and body horror, 'What Moves the Dead' is a fantastic take on Poe's story "The Fall of the House of Usher." The protagonist is fantastic, as is the cast of supporting characters, and the way this story builds bit by bit, even over such a short page count, is so well done. By the end, it had me entranced and disturbed, everything I wanted from this book! I loved it and highly recommend.

“This place breeds nightmares.”

Alex Easton, a retired soldier, is sent a letter from their childhood friends that Madeline Usher is dying and doesn’t have much time left. Alex immediately races off to their home in the secluded countryside to see what can be done.

What they find there is a place of nightmares. Fungus and mold has taken over the home, the surrounding forests, and even the lake. The wild animals act odd and Madeleine acts even odder. At night she sleepwalks and talks to herself in strange voices. Her brother Roderick is constantly in a state of anxiety and easily spooked by anything. Alex races to unlock the secret behind the House of Usher before it’s too late for them all.

“The dead don’t walk. Except, sometimes, when they do.”

Kingfisher comes out with her own take on Edgar Allan Poe’s classic “The Fall of the House of Usher. It’s definitely atmospheric and dark but fast paced at the same time. There is some pretty nasty imagery that gave me the creeps. Kingfisher excels in building tension and has very unique ideas with well done plot twists.
This novella is different from her past novels but still maintains the same compulsive readability and I was unable to put it down till I finished. At some points I was at the edge of my seat and couldn’t go to bed until the last day Kingfisher has always been consistent with writing witty, fun and likable protagonists and this is no different. Alex was hilarious and their humor contrasted well with the creeping tension of the novella. Same goes for Alex’s horse, Hob. Hob has such a big personality for a horse and was very entertaining for comedic breaks in between the horror.

Bottom line is that I definitely recommend this and think this is perfect for any fans of horror or gothic stories! I suggest going into this without knowing much and although it is a retelling, there are a few surprises in store for the reader who has already read Poe’s story. Kingfisher has cemented herself as an auto-read author for me. Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced arc in exchange for an honest review.

I haven't read The Fall of the House of Usher or any of T. Kingfisher's other work, so it was mostly the cover that drew me in. It promised a lot of creepy mushroom-y details, and did not disappoint!

Kingfisher did a wonderful job bringing this eerie setting to life. I loved all the little snippets of info we were given about Easton's homeland. Gallacia felt very real, which was impressive considering this is a novella and none of the story is set there. The linguistic elements were a fun touch, too. Rocks having their own unique set of pronouns made me so happy hahaha.

I really enjoyed the banter between the characters, as well. It provided a nice contrast to the ominous atmosphere. I'll definitely be checking out Kingfisher's other books after this. And seriously, that cover is perfection.