Victorian Psycho was a trip in the best way. Knowing what I was getting into, I was still rather confused upon beginning it. It moves very quickly and is particularly short which I think is one of the flaws of this novel. I wish there was more for us to figure out.
Winnifred Notty is basically a psychopath, and the gruesome acts she both imagines and performs had me disgusted although I could not stop myself from reading. I needed to know what happened next.
It was incredibly captivating to see her relationships develop with the Pounds (Poundses) and I needed to know their fates.
While this book wasn’t necessarily scary or terrifying, it was horrific and I found myself unable to look away.

I dove into this book blindfolded, knowing only that it was "unhinged" - and boy, did it deliver on that promise - it was unhinged in the most bizarre and darkly hilarious way imaginable, thanks to Feito’s witty and satirical writing style.

The story centers around Winifred Notty, who is hired as a governess for the Pounds family in their remote gothic manor. Although the children treat her poorly, Ms. Notty remains unfazed, as we quickly learn she’s unable to feel genuine human emotions - a result of her dark and troubled past. Everything seems to be going well on the surface but little do the souls of Ensor House know, the new hire conceals a sinister intent and a psychopathic nature…

Winifred is fascinating, her internal dialogue reveals a diabolical character that’s slowly unraveling as she sets her vengeance into motion. Ms. Notty’s antics were so outrageously twisted that I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all - from sneaking dead critters into meals to putting the children to sleep with morbid bedtime tales and messing with the staff, I was entertained by the twisted randomness of it all! I was also completely caught off guard by that plot twist, and the ending was so gloriously disgusting that I devoured every last morsel of it - it was pure horror fan heaven!

I devoured my first book by this author and I'm already craving more. If you're in the mood for a Victorian horror novel that's equal parts bloody and darkly hilarious, look no further.

Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito follows governess Winifred Notty as she begins working at Ensor House. It soon becomes clear that the family she is working for has a myriad of issues, but Winifred is not scared off. In fact it is the Pound family that should be scared of Winifred. We quickly learn that there is an evil inside of the governess. One that is itching to get out. I won't say more than that on the plot as this is a short novel in which a lot happens.

I will say this is not for the faint of heart. Many of the scenes are gruesome and probably will haunt me for a while. There is a lot of death in this and some scenes are described so horrifically that I had a hard time getting through it.

The novel also bounces back and forth between the present day and Winifred's past, but it was often difficult to tell when one time ended and the another began. I felt the author could have done more to inform the reader when we were switching between time periods.

We eventually learn there is more to the story of why Winifred is at Ensor House, but until that is revealed you are grasping at why she is there tormenting this family. I understand she is meant to be evil, but it was just so strange to me. She would make comments to the family about killing and sing songs to the children about death. And then kills multiple people within the house and doesn’t make a mess? How is this not noticed? How was she not let go the minute she walked into the house?

I suppose you could argue this is some sort of commentary about the class differences or how servants were treated (or ignored) by the well to do in Victorian England, but to me there just wasn’t enough there in this novella to justify that.

If you are looking for a short and gory horror novel, this may be for you. I just don’t think it was it for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Liveright for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Victorian Psycho releases on February 4, 2025.

This was everything I wanted and more. Dark, funny, gothic, a little gay, please inject it into my face. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this five star read from the author of my much loved Miss March!

Winifred Notty, or Fred as her demons prefer, is the exact opposite of who you want taking care of your children, or living in your house. Or really, to be acquainted with at all.

Miss Notty moves in to the Ensor house to be the governess of Drusilla and Andrew, two insufferable children who are destined to grow up to be as dense, condescending, and bleak as their parents. Little do they know they are no match for the unhinged Fred and her psychopathic tendencies.

Virginia Feito’s Victorian Psycho will draw you in from the very first page. Have you giggling through the sarcasm and bad behavior, cringing at the gore and twisted thoughts bumping around in Miss Notty’s head, and questioning your sanity and how ridiculously intriguing this woman and her story is. 10/10 forever will recommend. My favorite of the year so far!

Thank you to NetGalley and Liveright Publishing for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review of the book.

In this compulsively readable novel, we follow Winifred as she begins a new job as a governess to two children in a remote manor house. The only problem is she’s a total sociopath with a long history of violence. We follow the entire novel within her head and through her perspective and it makes her fated time at Ensor House a truly wild ride to follow. I just have to say, I was immediately locked into this novel within like three pages. The narration is sharp, dryly funny, gruesome and gory. You know from page one this girl is crazy, but the whole time you’re into seeing just how far she’ll go. And she goes just about as far as a human person can go. And I loved it. If you like unreliable or unlikeable main characters, Winifred is pretty top tier. There’s a couple twists in the last third that are expertly crafted and they felt natural instead of twists coming out of nowhere. This is a short novel, and it’s absolutely readable in one sitting. It’s a violent, bloody gothic fever dream and I loved experiencing it.

This will post on my instagram closer to the pub date- @boozehoundbookclub

Winifred Notty has accepted a governess position at Ensor House, where she will be taking care of Andrew and Drusilla Pounds. You learn that by the end everyone in the house will be dead, such a great opener! I really enjoyed being in the head of Miss Notty and hearing her psychotic and sometimes humorous thoughts. This book has some detailed gore that I really liked! However, the writing style took a while to get into, and you really have to suspend your disbelief to enjoy it.

A gothic fever dream of a novel, this story follows a sociopathic nanny whose chilling narcissism makes for a darkly entertaining—if unsettling—ride. I loved the unreliable narrator and satirical dark humor but the pacing felt too rushed, leaving me wanting more depth in its themes. I still enjoyed the blend of horror and dark comedy that kept me engaged, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this gets the big-screen treatment or becomes a new a24 adaptation.

I really don't have words for this book. Not a single character in this book has any redeemable qualities. This book is just crazy, gory, violent and hard to put to down.

5⭐️

Dark & unsettling. This book was so hard to put down, I simply didn’t want to stop reading!

Winifred Notty was hired as the governess at the Ensor house, and she came with a plan for every person in the house…

I loved this book so much! We are truly put into the mind of a psychopath and we don’t know what is true and what is not. It was a dark fever dream of a book.

I would consider this book a dark literary horror.

This book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

This book is such a fun and wild ride! It’s filled with great ponderings on privilege and sexism, weird rich people doing/saying weird rich people stuff, feminine rage, creepy victorian kids, explorations of a sprawling manor, satire, and black comedy.

The fmc is as charming and fun as she is brutal and grotesque! I both loved and kind of hated being inside her unhinged mind, watching her give in to her intrusive thoughts. From the beginning, you know exactly what you are getting into and Winifred wastes no time giving you hints! And sometimes, you aren’t sure if what she’s thinking is just a fantasy or if it’s actually happening. Her mind is like a gruesome fever dream!

From the beginning of the book I was reminded of the 1961 psychological horror film, The Innocents, in which a woman takes the job of governess to two strange children & madness ensues. This book has a similar gothic dreamlike vibe that I adored.

I loved Feito’s unapologetic and macabre writing style, and I hope to read more from her in the future!

This was a grossly good time. I love reading about women going on a murder spree so this was obviously going to be a hit for me. I liked that this took place in the Victorian era and enjoyed reading about a woman going crazy during this time period. Definitely will be fun for all my horror loving babes.

I almost always love a story with an unhinged FMC that tends toward violence, and this was no exception! I felt the pacing was very good and throughout the story I kept asking myself WTF when she would do various small acts of violence. The way tale wrapped up, including a visceral description of their Christmas feast which made me incredibly queasy, was absolutely fitting and well done.

The concept was interesting, and the blending of Victorian and modern language was cool, but I was just bored and annoyed with how cool the plot line could have been and how bad the execution was. I understood what this book was trying to do and what the satire was trying to portray but this just did not do it for me. I felt the satire was too on the nose, and the desire to be an “unhinged woman” book was just not working for me. And I love books about violent, chaotic women. But this just did not feel complete to me. The amount of belief I had to suspend just to read it took me out of the story. The lack of any character arc was disappointing. It just felt like how vile and subversive can we be without making sure it makes sense as a story. I could see someone being into this but it wasn’t me. Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for an early copy of this book.

Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito is filled with dark humor, sardonic wit and grotesque imagery. Ultimately you, the reader, will be rooting for Winifred Notty. She is sometimes an unreliable narrator who can live in her memories - past, present, future and imagined. I found myself laughing out loud throughout my reading experience. Looking around me because I found myself laughing at the oddest things, only to notice that I was alone. I was so very enthralled, entranced and entertained. ARC was provided by Liveright/W. W. Norton & Company via NetGalley. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!!

What a wickedly delightful ROMP through a completely uninhibited Gothic delight!!! Victorian Psycho is everything i wanted it to be and more, a wonderfully sinful glimpse into the mind of a governess with an oh so bloody goal.

Feito's style of writing hooks you from the first words on the page, and you can't help but slip deeper and deeper into Winnie's thoughts as you wonder if this might not be just how you feel too.

Preferably read at night while making a list of your enemies, this wild story is perfect for anyone who's ever wondered well... what if I just got revenge instead

Hmm....where do I begin with this novel?This is a dark, twisted, and disturbing read! I was left feeling guilty for laughing on numerous occasions, while making me a little uncomfortable and sad at the same time. A writer who can elicit that kind of response from their reader is definitely very skilled.
🖤 Victorian Psycho follows the story of Winifred Notty who has taken a job as a governess caring for Drusilla and Andrew. In the beginning she does try to be "normal", but as the reader, we get front row seats to her cruel mind, and it is a disturbing place. Her sarcastic, dry, dark dialogue had me laughing. Eventually her true nature surfaces and we witness her casual cruelty. She is a psychopath with an inability to experience fear and empathy. The writing is sharp and spot on!
Some might find the darker themes a little too intense, but if you're a fan of psychological thrillers, historical gothic novels, dark humor, and are not squeamish, this may be the books for you!
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to review this brilliantly entertaining novel.

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“Withstand in the Evil.”
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“To this day I can’t help wondering what it is like, fear. Coursing through your blood like poison, eating away at your hopes, your ambitions, your self. I think it has to be the worst thing in the world.”
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~ Book Review! ~
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Oh my GOD people, HOW is it only January and I’ve read contenders for top books of 2025 already!?
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VICTORIAN PSYCHO by @virginiafeito is a twisted and insane tale of depravity and unhinged vengeance set in Victorian England. Winifred arrives at Ensor House to take on the role of governess with a hidden past and a sinister agenda for the Pounds family.
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Winifred is detached, calculative, perverse, and deceptive. The gradual unraveling of her mental state is meticulously crafted, making her a terrifying character surmised by brutality, cruelty, and violent compulsions. Being inside her mind was disconcerting; Feito excelled at portraying the depths of her disconnect from humanity. She sure as hell gave Maeve Fly and Kim White a run for their money (shock)!
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“Human expressions are like hides I’ve peeled throughout life, rolled into a ball, and slipped under my skin.”
“I drink and set my cup down to scratch at my neck. It itches- from the noose, perhaps, although that hasn’t happened yet.”
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This story has multiple similarities to #saltburn in that it is filled with sardonic wit and propulsive dark humor, an atmospheric and disorienting setting, and unlikeable nuanced characters that fuel Winifred’s rage and obsession. The ending was absolute maniacal madness that left me absolutely flabbergasted.
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If you revel in exploring the depths of female rage like in Maeve Fly or Full Brutal, I implore you to check out VICTORIAN PSYCHO! Pub date 2/4/25! Thank you @netgalley and @liveright for the ARC!
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Rating: 5/5
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“Little girls everywhere will know they can aspire to kill, too- ‘tis not only the men that do.”
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“It was grand. It was all grand.”

⭐️: 4.5

This book left me like 👁️👄👁️ LITERALLY. From beginning to end. This book is the perfect mix of gothic horror, unsettling, gore and dark humor. The setting for this book was perfect, Christmas time in the early 1800’s. Our antihero Winifred, is exactly what the title says she is! But the more we get a deep look into her upbringing, the more you kind of understand her. This book was dark and left me with my jaw on the floor so many times 😂 like I was so shook during some of the chapters. I’m going to need A24 to make this a movie asap😆

Thank you NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for the arc!

"Little girls everywhere will know they can aspire to kill, too—'tis not only the men that do."

WELL, I, for one, AM terribly impressed even if Miss Winifred Notty is not. Victorian Psycho is a razor-sharp satire brimming with sardonic wit and culminating in an ending as shocking as it is gruesome. It's a clever novella that takes the proper exterior of Victorian society and gleefully tears it apart.

It really had me during the parts where the grotesque nature of Victorian society shines through—some of the choices they made, some of the things they said.

The story plunges us into the twisted world of Winifred Notty, who arrives at Ensor House as governess for two young charges, Drusilla and Andrew. Beneath her composed demeanour, however, lie violent impulses that she struggles to control. Told with a chilling detachment of American Psycho—which I recently watched, making the satire hit even harder—this novella is a grotesque and feminine reminder.

With this short story, you may want to dive more into the psyche of other characters. You will not get to - instead, you will be horrified by alarming moments that will have you taking a step back from wanting to get to know any character.

Winifred Notty is a creature of Victorian society's creation, and following her story leads to a chillingly entertaining descent into madness.