This is a story of three kids, all from Black Mouth, who experienced a summer of horror. Each go their separate ways as they become adults, all with very different lives. Family circumstances brings one of the group back to Black Mouth, though he had vowed never to return; a chance sighting at a funfair leads another of the group to contact the final member. All three then meet up to deal with the horrors of their past.

This was an attention grabber from the start, very reminiscent of Stephen King in its plot and extremely well written. The characters were engaging in the way in which they developed throughout the book. Thrown into the mix of Malfi’s version of the Losers Club was Dennis, a special boy, very Tom Cullen, then the appearance of a mysterious magician, reminiscent of Rose the Hat. Though I have drawn these comparisons, this is very much the author’s story and I loved it. Yes, perhaps overlong as has been commented, but hey, the author was enjoying himself, and the prose excellent.

I haven’t read Ronald Malfi before, but will definitely read more. An author to add to my favourites, Stephen King, Richard Chizmar and C J Tudor, an exalted list!

Definitely recommend.

Thank you NetGalley.

First off.... This is my first taste of Ronald Malfi. Now I am questioning my life. Why have I not read some of his work before?? Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to experience Malfi for the first time. I freaking loved this book!! Malfi words just flow. This story was so good!! Black Mouth is a place I am not sure I ever want to visit and if I ever see a man with an eye patch offering to show me a magic trick I am turning around and walking in the other direction, This was such a great story. After reading this I am now a Malfi fan!

Jaimie, Mia, Clay and Dennis grew up in Black Mouth, an eerie little town that harbours something sinister. They encounter a strange man in the woods one summer who impresses them with magic tricks and lures them with an invitation to become his apprentices. The Magician, however, has much darker intentions and what happens over that summer will haunt them long after they move away from their hometown. It will also be the thing that reunites them many years later as they confront their past and an evil that lies at the very core of Black Mouth.

The premise of this story immediately drew me in with the small town setting and adults returning to face a childhood experience that has haunted them ever since. It had a nostalgic feel to it and I love stories like these. The main characters were easy to like and connect with, my favourite being Clay. Their friendship was captured nicely with their interactions and dialogue and the bond between them could be felt without it having to be explained. The Magician is a brilliant villain and you can’t help being lured in, even though you know there is something sinister about him. The town of Black Mouth, its residents and history were well constructed and added to the dark and mysterious tone of the story. I liked how things unfolded with flashbacks and memories woven in with the present. It kept the intrigue and suspense going.

The story builds slowly which I enjoyed, but I thought it dragged at times. The horror seemed to stop and start and a few scenes felt unnecessary. Some of the sentences were a little wordy and at times felt over descriptive. This broke the pace for me and took me out of the story sometimes, but this is my personal experience. I disliked the character that showed up later in the story and I get that his derogatory language was used to show his ignorant outlook, however it made me uncomfortable and I don’t think it was necessary as he was unlikable already without it. At times I found myself wondering what was the point of this character coming in. His scenes shifted the tone for me and I had to adjust to the change in intensity and graphic violence, some of which were very unpleasant. His inclusion in the story does come together at the end though.

This was my first introduction to Ronald Malfi and it was an entertaining read. Perfect horror for summer, especially if you like slow burn, psychological and atmospheric stories. There’s various elements of horror within it, which means it’s sure to unsettle you whether you’re into psychological or scenes of a more graphic nature – it’s sure to deliver a few scares.

This is the creepy story about three friends who experienced something sinister while they were young. Jamie, Mia and Clay grew up in a former mining town. The mines collapsed years ago and killed several miners. So there is an eerie feeling about this area. One day they met a mysterious man who called himself The Magician. He befriended the kids and taught them card tricks. But there was something off about this guy and everything ended in a traumatic event.

Twenty five years later Jamie is still guild ridden and only finds solution at the bottom of a bottle. Then he gets notice from Mia. She snapped a picture of a man at a carnival who looked exactly like The Magician. But that is not possible. Or is it?

I was intrigued by the blurb and was drawn into the story quite easily. It was a creepy story which played with the idea that maybe something supernatural may be going on. I love that kind of stuff but I love it even more when there is a reasonable explanation with the hint that there could be something else at work. So I loved how this book seems to end. But then there was more to the ending and that was a bit too much for my taste. For some reasons I am not a fast reader at the moment and this book did nothing for me to change that. It dragged a bit for me and I found myself doing something else instead of reading it.

This was my second book from the author and I would read another one. This one will not appear in my top reading list but I still enjoyed it and loved the idea and the eerie atmosphere.

Another stellar read from Ronald Malfi, Black Mouth centres around a group of kids that are lured into the woods by a mysterious one eyed magician to teach them magic tricks, which lead to grave and life changing consequences.
Fast forward to present day when the kids are now all adults in their 30s, a random sighting of what seems to be the same magician draws them together again to face their past and present demons. and their immediate future.

First off, I`m a huge Malfi fan. I really like how he creates atmosphere in his books and takes his time. This one is no different. There is definitely a Stephen King vibe to this book(I`m not sure if it is a homage to him or not)in subject matter, narration and story structure. We get the story told from both past and present and it works really well as we slowly begin to understand(or not!)whats going on.

At its heart its a story of good vs evil, be that internal or external, a story of fate and faith. Its an excellent read overall.

My only gripe is that it was a little long for what it was. The final act dragged a little too long even though it was action packed. Overall though this was a fantastic read. Malfi really does have a magic touch(see what I did there) with the pen.

Thanks to publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.

Ronald Malfi is nothing short of a horror genius. This is the second book of his I've read and absolutely loved. The villain of the story, an evil magician, is deliciously sinister, and kids, don't talk to strangers! Great plot, prose, and characterization. Mr. Malfi's future books will definitely be auto-buys.

Thank you, Netgalley, for supplying me with the ARC.

Ronald Malfi has crafted a story filled with horror, addiction, and love. Black Mouth is a place filled with people who are damaged by the darkness of abuse. After the events that plagued Jamie, Dennis, Clay and Mia during their childhood, each has come out of Black Mouth trying to find ways of coping. Malfi illustrates how childhood trauma can haunt a person well into adulthood. Ultimately, the reader is taken through the ugliness of addiction.

There are several mysteries at play, here, and Malfi is a master at leading the reader through them. There are several twists that are deftly revealed. While the whole book is filled with horrors, the final ten chapters are fast paced and terrifying. Black Mouth is a book that forces the reader to bear witness to the horrors that can corrupt a person. It is an exhilarating read.

Black Mouth by Ronald Malfi brings about instant comparisons to Stephen King. The story of kids who find themselves involved in something sinister and possible supernatural barely escape with their lives only to have to face that again when they are adults. The are bound by their shared experience but also avoided each other to avoid their shared trauma. And someone has to come home. I found myself making those comparisons. I am a constant reader. I realize that I’m not being fair. When I compare this to King I only see what he did better and that is not what I should be doing.

So, I waited few days to see how much the story stayed with me. It did. In it’s own way. I could picture the Magician and the tricks he taught. And the tricks he pulled. And, on it’s own, this story worked,. The characters were fairly well developed, though I would have liked to see more. Again I go to King. There are reasons his books are so long and yet so popular. You know those characters by the time you are through. I don’t know these characters that well and some stuff just seemed to get thrown in when the time seemed right.

So, maybe I can’t complete separate this work. I think it stands on its own. It was good. It had the small town creepy. It had the woods. It had the carnival. It had children out in the world on their own. It had a lot of things going for it. Just don’t place the works of others in comparison.

Black Mouth by Ronald Malfi is a small town horror story that will make you want to lock your doors at night. With a narrative set in the past and present, a traveling carnival and an otherworldly monster, what more could you ask for?!

“𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘔𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩. 𝘐𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘬𝘴, 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩.”

—-

The story is set in the small town of Suttons Quay, an old mining community that befell a terrible accident many years ago. 4 outcast friends spend their summers playing in the woods adjacent to the old mine location, now called Black Mouth, when one day they run into a strange man claiming to be a magician. They soon befriend the man and he starts teaching them Magic tricks, becoming his apprentices.

2 decades later, fate brings the friends back to Black Mouth to confront their past, and the monster that has been living in their shadows for all these years.

—-

There are few writers I have come across in my time that have blown me away with their character development and Ronald Malfi is one of them. This is one of my favorite books this year, along with Come With Me, another Malfi I absolutely demolished earlier this year. The writing flows so well and the story was built to perfection. I’m not sure that if you asked me if there is anything I would change about this book, that I could give you an answer….

Now to patiently await Ghostwritten… 🤩

Black Mouth by @ronaldmalfi was super good. I really enjoyed Come With Me so I was excited for this. Malfi really brings the “literary” to “literary horror.” It’s not just a spooky story, but it’s really well written prose. That really struck me in Come With Me and it continues here.

One man returns to his home town after his mom dies to bring his brother to live with him, but he ends up staying and being joined by his two childhood best friends to confront some serious demons. Reminiscent of IT and of the Wisconsin Slenderman Stabbing (I’m in Wi so this was and is big news), this one is not to be missed!

Black Mouth is out today. Thank you to @netgalley and @titanbooks for the ARC.

In Ronald Malfi’s novel, Black Mouth, childhood friends reunite as adults under the grimmest of circumstances.

Growing up, the group of four were bonded by their reject-status: they were either bullied by the other kids in their small West Virginia town or traumatized at home. Together, they become fascinated by a mysterious man who lures them into the woods and under his wing as he teaches them magic and promises to change their lives for the better. Instead, after The Magician’s last and final trick comes with a high price to pay, their bond of friendship transforms into one of survival and guilt, and they are separated for the remainder of their childhood.

Now, years later, the trauma that still haunts each of them internally seems to have reemerged in the flesh. The foursome reunite to confront their traumatizing past and to hunt down and stop the evil that forever changed the course of their lives.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Titan Books for this ARC. This novel is a true gem for anyone who enjoys creepy reads! The characters are very well-developed and likable, and the storyline is well-written and engaging.

Black Mouth
Ronald Malfi
Genre: Horror
Grade: A- / 91% / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Out today!!

Ronald Malfi has been on my radar for some time. When I saw his newest novel Black Mouth available on NetGalley, I decided to request it, with little intention of reading it immediately. After completing a book that left me wanting, I randomly decided to sample the first few pages of this novel late one night. An hour and 15% later, I knew I was in for something good.

Black Mouth is familiar in its basic premise: a group of adults that were friends as children return to their hometown where, when they were young, a great evil changed their lives forever. The book is being compared to It by Stephen King, and while you may be quick to make that assumption, I think this book differs greatly thematically. These characters are struggling with guilt, trauma, identity, and belonging. Each of them carries the weight of their past in different ways; none of them quite able to shake it. Our four main characters were exceptionally crafted, each with motivations both obvious and subconscious, individual character arcs that are fully fleshed out, and satisfying. Even the villains of this story have great backstories, which I was pleasantly surprised by.

The prose of this book is really what grabbed my attention. Malfi is a master craftsman when it comes to weaving a story that is equal parts digestible and hearty. The themes are well-executed, and his words flow from the page like music. I was thrilled, I was moved, I was entertained, what else is there to say?

My only complaint is that the final confrontation of this story could have stuck the landing a little bit more, in my opinion. There is a lot of buildup in this novel, but the actual climax of the story seemed to rush by. There is also a somewhat ambiguous nature to some aspects of the plot, and I craved more definition in these moments. That being said, I greatly enjoyed my time with this novel, and cannot wait to pick up another book by this author soon!

There’s just something about a Malfi novel that just sucks me in. His writing tempo matches my reading tempo so well, and I just fly through his novels. I wasn’t sure if I’d finish Black Mouth in time for pub date but I read the second half last night, and here we are.

Black Mouth feels like a new horror classic. Reminiscent of the big 80s coming of age novels that we all know and love and compare everything else to.

The set up you know: fate brings old friends back to their small town to try and defeat the evil that shaped their childhoods. But it’s still so fresh and new. We know the tracks but we haven’t been in this tunnel.

It’s an emotional read, and if you’re looking for a carnival horror with lots of magic and ritual murder, this one may be for you.

Thank you to @titanbooks and @netgalley for an ARC of this title which came out today!

"𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧."

Brought back together by a past darkness that appears to have reawakened, childhood friends Jamie, Mia, Clay & Dennis must return to their hometown to track down & defeat an evil that has haunted them ever since they left.

This was my first Malfi and boy did it deliver!

I loved the friendships in this novel between Jamie, Mia, Clay & Dennis. Treated like outcasts by the other residents of Sutton's Quay, their sole and shared childhood traumas living on the outskirts of town near a collapsed mine known as Black Mouth, solidifies their bond.

The characters are so nuanced and well-developed. The depth of their bond, their love & loyalty for one another, it was all so palpable. The relationship between the Warren brothers, Jamie & Dennis, was especially touching.

"...𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐭𝐨𝐨, 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜."

This novel had so many things that I love:
Small town horror
Band of misfit friends
Creepy & atmospheric
Melding of the past & present
Questions of what is real and what's not

Also Malfi doesn't shy away from bringing us along into dark places and I loved that.

My only criticisms are that I think the novel could have been edited down a bit & there was a scene with animal cruelty that I could have done without.

A huge thanks to Titan Books & NetGalley for this ARC. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

I give Black Mouth by Ronald Malfi 4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 (rounded up to 5 stars for NetGalley)

In the summer of 1998, in the mysterious and haunted mountain area known as Black Mouth, a group of misfit kids discover a man in the woods. The man is known only as the Magician, and he takes the ragtag gang under his wing, teaching them magic tricks. At first they're just simple card tricks but soon he begins to enchant them with tales of a place he calls the Well, a place where they can discover true magic powers, if they're brave enough to do what it takes to travel there.

When the moment of truth comes, the price the Magician demands of them is far too high. The kids, in their fear and confusion, kick off events which will rock their small town, earn them each a trip to juvie, and cause them nightmares for the rest of their lives.

Now adults, the group must come together once more as reports surface of a man living in the woods and enticing children with magic tricks before convincing them to do unspeakable acts. They must find the Magician and stop him before he ruins another child's life, before anyone else dies.

Jamie Warren is the main protagonist here, and much of the book is told in his first-person POV, with shorter sections in third-person showing us what his friends Mia and Clay are doing. About halfway through the book we are also introduced to another character, a man named Stull, a man who also found himself under the tutelage of the Magician as a child but who chose a very different path when faced with the sacrifice required to find the Well.

My favorite character, however, is Dennis Warren. Dennis is Jamie's younger brother, and though he's a great lumbering hulk of a man, he retains the mind of a child yet manages to be the wisest and most perceptive of the group.

With definite shades of King's IT and even Joe Hill's NOS4A2, this is a book which encompasses small-town horror, carnival horror, and the psychological struggles of a group of adults who were collectively traumatized as children. There are plenty of moments which, while not necessarily scary, are definitely disturbing and creepy. You will find yourself holding your breath, cheering for the good guys, and maybe even shedding a tear over the long-ignored but re-blooming relationship between the brothers Warren.

I was pulled right into this story from the beginning and loved it straight through to the end. Dark and troubling but also full of those all-important coming-of-age themes of friendship, loyalty, and bravery born of love, this story is both horrific and heartbreaking, and definitely worth reading.

Any day that includes me being able to say that I’ve found a new favourite author is a good day. Today is a good day!

I’m a tad embarrassed to admit that this is my first Ronald Malfi read. On the flip side, because I’m late to the party, I’ve got so many books to catch up on and new favourites to find. Did I mention today is a very good day?

Black Mouth is essentially a big melting pot of the types of characters and themes I will always want to read about. You’ve got your group of outcasts who experienced something scary, traumatic and potentially supernatural when they were kids. The ghosts of the past, possibly even the literal kind, haunt said kids well into adulthood. Adults who have been trying to outrun their childhood trauma can’t run anymore, and it just keeps getting better and better.

“The things that happened down in the heart of Black Mouth that summer had been inexplicable, magical, and ultimately deadly things - things I still can’t fully comprehend or even care to dwell on.”

There’s a carnival. Magic. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. A group of friends I want to join. And best of all? There’s Dennis, who is now one of my all time favourite characters. I adore Dennis!

I loved this book so much! The characters, the location, the atmosphere, the way the past bled into the present, even the surprise misty eyed moment. I loved it all!

I can’t wait to read more books by this author.

As usual, I sent test emails to the email addresses listed for two characters in this book. As usual, they were undeliverable. Yes, I’m going to keep sending random emails to book characters until one finally responds.

“Do you want to see a magic trick?”

Content warnings include abuse of animals, alcoholism, bullying, child abuse, death by suicide (including method used), domestic abuse, sexual assault and a suicide attempt. Readers with emetophobia, beware. There are also a bunch of cringeworthy slurs that I won’t be repeating here; although I hated reading the words, it made complete sense that those characters would be saying them.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Titan Books for the opportunity to read this book.

2.5 Stars ~

This one has been hard for me to rate, as I am conflicted.
There were some fantastic parts and some parts that I was dragging myself to get through. There were chapters within chapters.. which seemed wild to me.

Honestly, the first 70% I was in snooze town. The description of this book did not resonate with what was happening in the book most of the time. It doesn't help that I am not a fan of clowns and 'magic' tricks that you see at carnivals and this book really revolves around a fucked up Magician, with lots of card tricks. There was some paranormal aspects thrown in. It was hard to follow at times.

The writing style though was great, I had myself laughing at times. The descriptions were just ridiculous at times, but it really worked.
The ending though.... That was not what I was expecting. Although I don't really know what I was expecting at all.

Props for the representation though:
-Clay is a black main character with Vitiligo
-It is suggested that Mia is part of the LGBTIQIA+community
-Dennis has some form of an intellectual disability, no specified, but the use of the R-word did make me cringe a few times, although it was used in context with the arsehole of a father, but still.
-Jamie, like his father, has some Alcohol Substance issues
-and there is a character with a cleft abnormality.

I do want to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest review.
Although this may have not been my style, it very well could be yours.

This was my first time reading a Ronald Malfi book and the concept of this was really interesting to me. I do love stories about adults having to face off against the monsters from their youth, but unfortunately this book didn't really grab me. There were some moments that were kind of creepy, but I feel like it didn't really add anything new to the genre.

Jamie Warren left Sutton's Quay, West Virginia, as soon as he was old enough, unfortunately leaving his disabled brother, Dennis, behind. Jamie was running from a lot of things, but no matter where he goes or how much time passes, the memories of his traumatic childhood continue to haunt him.

When he receives a call that his Mother has passed, he has mixed feelings. In spite of Jamie's complicated relationship with his Mom, he knows he has to go back. The property will need to be dealt with. Dennis can't do it himself, so Black Mouth here he comes.

Upon returning to the family farmhouse, Jamie is shocked by the state of it. He can't believe that his brother and mother had been living in these conditions. Additionally, his brother has been picked up by the police. Dennis had been walking along the highway, clearly distressed. Sadly, that's how they're reunited.

While all this is happening, states away, Jamie's best friends from childhood, Mia and Clay, are also experiencing things that are drawing their attention back to Black Mouth; the name of the area on the outskirts of Sutton's Quay where they all grew up.

The trio are pulled back into each other's lives like moths to a flame, and like many close friends, once they're back together it's like no time has passed at all. Together with Dennis, the three begin to investigate a mysterious man who had a huge impact on their lives all those years ago; a man who lived in the woods and showed them magical and disturbing things.

Through past and present perspectives, the Reader is drawn into an exceptionally twisted story with horrors great and small. Everything about this was mesmerizing to me. The writing is lush, the imagery is distinct and the atmosphere is intense. Black Mouth took me for a ride and ultimately left me with tears in my eyes, wondering how long it would be before I read it again. It's that good.

I'm so glad I preordered a copy of this because I need it gracing my shelves. The story is incredibly detailed and I'm sure there are little things that I missed as I rushed towards the conclusion. It will be an absolute joy to revisit. There are so many aspects that I loved about this book, but first and foremost would be the phenomenal quality of the storytelling. It's delicious.

As a King Constant Reader, I couldn't help but notice things that reminded me of some of my favorite King works. I don't know anything about Ronald Malfi, but just for me, I liked having all these little reminders of King's work. I honestly don't know if any of it was intentional, like if it was a doffing of the cap, but I sort of hope it was. All the elements brought together was magic for my mind.

Without saying too much, it was in the details, like Dennis reminding me of Duddits, Mia's name, the carnival vibe, a group of outcast kids fighting evil, even some of the supernatural aspects reminding me of the Bill Hodges trilogy.

Please note, I am not saying this in a negative way. I hope I am explaining myself appropriately. I don't intend any shade toward Malfi by making these comparisons. I was beyond impressed by Come with Me, my favorite book of 2021, and over the moon excited about this one. I highly, highly, highly recommend this story for fans of coming of age horror novels. This is absolutely exceptional.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Titan Books and Tantor Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. This could potentially end up as my favorite book of 2022. It's certainly in the lead for now!

Black Mouth didn't work for me at all, unfortunately. It's mainly Malfi's writing style: I find his phrasing difficult to follow, and he uses words that don't seem quite right for what he's describing. It feels like a strain to read, and everything just feels a bit coated in filth -- he's always focusing on what's gross in a scene, whether it's a sore on someone's mouth, the fat on their arms, or a fly in sauce at a picnic. It's just not my kind of horror. I prefer spooky to icky.

I decided fairly early on to stop reading this one, but the plot was potentially interesting and there were hints at interesting family history for the protagonist. I think readers who enjoy Malfi's writing style will likely love this one. It's just not for me.

Because I quit this one in the first 50 pages, I will not post a review publicly.