The stories just felt rather flat to me. I really enjoyed the first one and wanted more, but then it just ended. I felt it ended and left things unanswered. The second one wasn't creepy or scary at all. Don't get me wrong there were a few tense and frightening scenes, but I just felt at times it wasn't enough or wasn't executed well enough. Although this one was a miss for me, I still look forward to reading one of Malfi's full novels.

3.5 stars - Huge Malfi fan. This series of five horror novellas didn't land quite the same, but they were captivating and disturbing all the same. Written 2009-2012, with one bonus story. Some trigger warnings: animal abuse.

The one I can't get out of my head is The Stranger. A couple out on the road together encounter a stranger at a motel, who proceeds to lock himself in their car alone. What he does next, everyone is helpless but to watch. Seriously messed up, loved it.

Most of the stories were equal parts emotional and disturbing, but also a little crowded by characters, and missing that Malfi mystery I crave. But that won't stop me from reading other releases!

Thank you to Ronald Malfi, Titan Books and Netgalley for this advanced copy.

With thanks to the author, publishers Titan Books, and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

A fun collection of novellas from a consistently-readable author.

I first discovered Ronald Malfi a number of years ago through reading his novella "Borealis", and ever since have always looked out for his new releases. The five novellas in this collection are in a similar vein, and while not all hit the mark for me, they were all interesting in their own way. My favourites were "Skullbelly" and "After the Fade", particularly the latter which had the feel of a full-length novel in its own right.

Ronald Malfi is a recent horror find for me and I have enjoyed everything of his I've read since. It feels great when you find a new-to-you author with a decent sized backlog...so I can really dig in. Loved the book, thanks for the opportunity to read it.

As with any collection of novellas or short fiction, there will always be some that work for me more than others and this collection is no different. What I will say is that overall, the collection was good, if not mind blowing and a great way for any reader new to Malfi to sample his writing style. As I say, none of these stories blew me away, but my favourites were 'After the Fade' and 'Fierce'. Overall, a good but not great collection.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Another Malfi for the win! I can't speak highly enough of Ronald Malfi books-they are great pieces of horror fiction that are unique and very character and mood-driven. They Lurk is a collection of older Malfi short stories that have been re-released into this collection, all centering on creatures that "lurk" in the periphery. These stories were down-right scary and left me wishing they were a full book, especially the first story's cliff-hanger. The very last story in the book reads like a classic Christmas slasher film! If you are a Stephen King fan, you need to read Malfi! Thanks, Publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

Regular visitors to the blog may have noticed that I have become quite a big fan of Ronald Malfi’s work over the last few years. It started with the incredible Come With Me and was followed by the divine Black Mouth. I then read Malfi’s first brilliant collection of novellas with Titan Books, Ghostwritten. After that I took matters into my own hands and hunted down a copy of Bone White (which incidentally is being republished in early 2024 and is well worth getting hold of!) and that leads us to here and to They Lurk. They Lurk is Malfi’s second collection of novellas with Titan Books and features five expertly written, standalone horror stories. Of these, four have been published elsewhere before with one new addition which is the fifth and final story, Fierce.

I do enjoy a collection of novellas or short stories. I know they’re not for everyone, we all have our opinions on these things but I think the novella or short story poses a challenge to the author. With a full length novel there’s time to expand on ideas, develop characters and imbue a sense of place in the story. With a novella or short story, it sometimes feels as though it’s over before it’s even begun! But Malfi, with his collection of five novellas, delivers everything the reader is looking for and more. You get character development, fully fleshed out plot arcs, a great sense of place and a well-planned, beautifully immersive storyline.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping, unnerving collection of stories from a favourite author and master storyteller. The five stories are all very unique and seamlessly blend several different horror sub-genres in one collection. It’s a mighty compilation which showcases the author’s skill and I loved it! My favourite story was After the Fade, closely followed by Fierce. In After the Fade in particular, I felt I had read a full length novel. All five tales stand tall though – there isn’t a dud amongst them (of course there isn’t, Malfi wrote them!). They Lurk is a highly immersive, very readable collection of horror fiction that all fans of the genre will enjoy. I would also recommend this book to readers who are looking to try horror fiction for the first time. It gives you a taste of what the best horror writers can create but in a condensed, somewhat less intimidating format. I remain a huge fan of Malfi’s work and I look forward to seeing what the author has in store for us next. Whether that’s a full length novel or another collection of novellas, you can guarantee I’ll be first in line. Recommended.

Ronald Malfi is one of those authors who can do no wrong by me. His writing is always entertaining, and THEY LURK is no exception. Here we have a bunch of novellas, each disturbingly weird in their own way, and they're all top notch. My favorites of the bunch are "The Stranger" and "After the Fade" which are excellent.

I really enjoyed reading this book. My thanks to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the advanced copy. Highly recommended.

Ronald Malfi never let's me down when I'm looking for something strange and unique to read. I highly recommend checking out his books, whether this one, or one of his others.

Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publisher, @tantoraudio for the audio-ARC.

This volume contains five short stories or novellas that have been grouped together; Skullbelly, The Separation, The Stranger, After the Fade and Fierce. Skullbelly was by far my favorite of the five, but I also really enjoyed The Separation, the Stranger and After the Fade. Compilations like this can be hit or miss for me but I think I would give this a solid four stars as I enjoyed most of the stories (although I could have taken or left the last story, Fierce).

I am not entirely sure but I thought Skullbelly actually showed up in at least one of the other stories so perhaps that is a theme between the novellas that I did not fully grasp. Either way, Skullbelly in itself was pretty terrifying and had some folklore aspect to it that drew me in! If you like shorter snippets of horror this might just be the ticket for you!

This one is out in the world as of July so go get your grubby little hands on it!

3.75/5 stars! I adored "The Black Parade" by this author and was excited to read this story by him. The pacing of these short novellas was quick and it was easy to read one at a time. I do wish there was more substance to the story, however. I think, overall, I prefer his full-length novels to a novella.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

3.75/5 stars! I adored "The Black Parade" by this author and was excited to read this story by him. The pacing of these short novellas was quick and it was easy to read one at a time. I do wish there was more substance to the story, however. I think, overall, I prefer his full-length novels to a novella.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I am a huge fan of Ronald Malfi. He always reminds me of a Stephen King novel with his writing. I really enjoyed his last collection Ghostwritten, so I had high hopes going into this collection. This bind up did not do as well for me. I, of course, enjoyed most of the stories as I enjoy Malfi's writing, but I really wanted more from this collection.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

This was an excellent collection of short stories by Ronald Mafi. Every one of the stories was unique and the collection covered a variety of horror types from fantasy horror, science fiction horror, ghostly or haunting horror, creature horror, and psychological horror. There were a few that I did not particularly care for but not because the stories were poorly written, it just wasn’t my preferred horror read.

All of the stories gave me something new to fear or revealed a previously unknown ick that I will now think about from time to time. The best horror rewrites your through my process to that something you would normally view as innocuous is now pernicious or ominous. They Lurk does a beautiful job of pushing the boundary of folklore, terror, and fear and does so with a visceral writing style.

As per his usual style, this did not disappoint! If you are a fan of Malfi, I would definitely recommend this, and if you have not already read his work, this is a great place to start! Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read it!

They Lurk by @ronaldmalfi - As with all anthologies, this one had stories I loved, stories that were okay and ones that I didn't care much for. Luckily, this book had more stories that I loved than most anthologies I read

Really solid collection of short horror stories. I'd say the first two are the weakest, although they're still good. Things really pick up with the third story, and don't stop until the end. I think my favorite was the one about the bar- I don't want to say much more than that so as not to give anything away.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed these short stories. Some more than others. For example. I thought After the Fade, Fierce and The Separation were top shelf story stories with my very favourite being After the Fade. I could easily read a book that continued that plot.

Well worth it.

"They Lurk" by Ronald Malfi is a chilling anthology that masterfully blends the mundane with the macabre. Malfi proves once again that he's adept at crafting stories that seep into the reader's psyche. From the eerie forest of "Skullbelly" to the unsettling tensions in "The Separation", each tale invites a sense of impending dread. "The Stranger" brilliantly transforms a commonplace setting into a pressure-cooker of horror, while "After the Fade" presents a grotesque menace in the most unexpected places. With one more novella still veiled in mystery, this collection is a must-read for those who revel in tales of the sinister and surreal.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of They Lurk.

I've read several books by the author, thanks to NetGalley, and enjoy them which is why I look forward to requesting his books.

These novellas are all new to me so I was grateful for the chance to read them.

Novellas are hit or miss; you may like one or none, but rarely do I like them all.

Still, there were aspects I enjoyed in each story:

Skullbelly is about a private investigator hired to look into the disappearance of three teenagers. When one teenager returns, shell shocked and traumatized, the PI has to figure out what happened. But it turns out the small town and its locals have much to hide, including their neighborhood monster.

This was reminiscent of IT, the killer clown from Derry, Stephen King's famous fictional town in Maine. My biggest caveat is I wished this was scary. There's a lingering sense of unease, you know something's not right in the town, but nothing really stands out.

A formulaic story about a monster in a small town, nothing new.

The Separation is about a therapist called to visit a friend in Germany suffering from depression...and something else. This was creepy, though I wished the author had run with it more, explained more about how Charlie's symptoms manifested. Was it just the divorce or something else?

The Stranger was a creepy, bloodletting story about a guy named David driving with his current main squeeze when he discovers a stranger sitting in his car. Except, the stranger might be someone David knows, all too well.

This was more Twilight Zone-y, sort of like a glimpse into the future, where the present crosses into a multiverse and you see what might happen to David if his current path in life continued.

After the Fade was my favorite story. I despise bugs and I love zombies (not in a zombies-are-hot kind of way, but in a I-enjoy-zombie-movies-and-books-kind of way). This was creepy and unsettling and gross. Bugs are so gross.

Fierce was a mother/daughter tale of survival where a daughter, resentful of her mother's refusal to allow her a once in a lifetime chance to take a year off from college to go backpacking, discovers what powerful strength and resiliency her mother has after a frightening car accident.

And discovers she's and her mom aren't so different after all.

Overall, a good read that kept me reading and engaged.

I did notice a typo in "The Stranger."

A sentence is written as "Tires peeled," but the word is supposed to be spelled "pealed." That was kind of funny. Made me think of slipping on a banana peel, for some reason. Random, I know.

Looking forward to reading the author's next book.