Victorian Psycho is a disturbing and darkly comedic horror novel, and my first (but definitely not last) book by author Virginia Feito.

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

This is a unique take on the serial killer story - a woman in Victorian times killing without remorse or regret. Our main character, Ms. Notty, is unpredictable and unhinged, and when the bloodshed starts you just have to hold on for the ride.

I loved the quick pace - this is not your typical slow-burn gothic horror. You learn very early on how things will turn out and there is often immediate pay-off to the disturbing ideas present in our lead's mind. The authorial voice is also very humorous and satirical, with Ms. Notty often giving a rejoinder directly to the reader.

There were two aspects that kept this from being a five-star read: the writing style and the length. As someone who rarely (aka never) reads classics, the voice took a few chapters to get used to, and I often had to stop to look up the meaning of a word. As for the length, I wish this had actually been a bit longer. While the author did not shy away from the gory details, there were some scenes that could have been expounded upon, particularly the climax and the events afterward.

Victorian Psycho will not be for everyone, but for those who love a horror novel that doesn't hold it's punches when it comes to the bloodshed and carnage it may be one of your favorites of the year.

4/5 stars

Thank you to W. W. Norton & Company and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

It is a darkly compelling tale that draws the reader into the shadowy corridors of Ensor House, where Winifred Notty arrives to serve as governess to the Pound children, Andrew and Drusilla. With its atmospheric setting, morally complex protagonist, and richly layered narrative, the novel is a modern homage to the Victorian penny dreadful, packed with secrets, suspense, and psychological depth.
Winifred for me is an unforgettable character—enigmatic, tormented, and unrelentingly cruel. Beneath her prim exterior lies a seething darkness that manifests in chilling acts of sadism toward both animals and people. Feito masterfully unveils Winifred’s inner turmoil, revealing glimpses of a tragic past that tether her to her cruelty. Yet, for all her malevolence, I cannot help but empathize with her. Winifred’s twisted actions are driven by an innate desire for justice—a notion that she clings to even as it propels her deeper into madness. This moral ambiguity is at the heart of the novel, forcing us to ask ourselves uncomfortable questions about revenge, morality, and the seek of redemption.
The story is infused with Victorian traditions, from the eerie, candlelit halls of Ensor House to the rigid social structures that define the lives of its inhabitants (upstairs/downstairs). Feito skillfully incorporates these elements, evoking the serialized thrillers of the era. One can almost imagine Victorian Psycho being devoured in weekly installments by gaslight, its readers alternately horrified and enthralled.
It’s not for the faint of heart, but for those who relish gothic fiction, it’s an unmissable read. The mix of horror, psychological complexity, and Victorian tradition makes it a modern masterpiece in the genre. Feito has crafted a story that lingers long after the final page, a haunting exploration of the darkness within us all.

This was a tough one to read. Personally, it’s not for me. I like my horror to be actually scary rather than just plain gross. This…was just plain gross and seemed to go nowhere. I don’t get the point of this book? Was there one?

Absolutely obsessed with this. The tone and narrative voice is perfect, so immersive and fun. The slippages with reality were deliciously twisted and the narrator is such a likable and interesting antihero. She has an incredibly unique characterization and voice that carries you through the text, I read it in a sitting.

This book took me for a wild ride! This was so dark and grotesque but had many humorous moments. The way the author described everything made it feel so disgusting and vile. Even the descriptions of the food they ate had me nauseous. There was an unexpected twist at the end that felt satisfying.

I did not finish this book.

It started out that I thought it was going to be good. With the talk of death.

It's very poorly edited, and formatted. I had a hard time getting past those things.

This one was pretty twisted.
I mean, you're going to need a dark sense of humor to get through this. The violence may be a bit extreme for some-- I found myself giggling a few times.
I enjoyed the way the story unfolded, giving us an inside look at a depraved nanny. we also get teased with pieces of what is to come, and the occassional breaking of the 4th wall.

Overall-- a slim, fast-paced, high stakes, unhinged-female-serial-killer story for those who enjoy historical horror fiction with a sense of humor-- maybe even satirical. Gloriously gross fun!

Victorian-era historical fiction, slasher-style.

Like many novellas, Virginia Feito drops you into Victorian Psycho and doesn’t take her foot off the gas until you’ve finished the very last blood-soaked page.

Victorian Psycho takes “I support women’s rights, but also women’s wrongs” to the next level. Our protagonist, the murderous governess Winifred Notty, is wholly indiscriminate in her quest for blood and vengeance. The novella features some commentary on gender roles and repression, but no one is safe, child, scullery maid, or dowager alike.

With deft and clever prose, Feito skillfully guides the reader through the recesses of Winifred’s psyche, including her Darkness, a concept I found entirely relatable and extraordinarily well-executed.

If you love truly unhinged women, “good for her” horror, unreliable narrators, breaking the fourth wall, visceral gore, and Christmastime slashers, Victorian Psycho may be for you.

Many thanks to NetGalley, W.W. Norton, and Liveright for the e-ARC.

Four stars!! I absolutely devoured this book in one sitting, which wasn’t too hard since it’s under 200 pages. Despite its short page count, this novel(la) packs a punch. With Gothic undertones and whimsical writing, the atmospheric story captivated me with its gory, unexpected scenes, a fast paced descent into madness and a mystery that was satisfying once revealed. I wish it was longer because I feel like it ended just when it got good!

This book is fantastic! Victorian Psycho is the second novel by author Virginia Feito. In this book, we explore the life of Miss Notty, who works as a nanny for Mr. and Mrs. Pounds. Notty is a very interesting person. She’s not afraid of anything…like she actually can’t feel fear. This, coupled with her sociopathic tendencies, makes her the perfect main character.

This book came at the right time for me. After having seen (and loved) Nosferatu, I was really feeling a new gothic horror novel, and this delivered! I love, love, love the writing style! This is a modern book set in a Victorian setting. The writing is of an older time yet still accessible. Her writing feels as if care and precision was put into it, and I love the attention to detail.

There’s a great amount of gore sprinkled throughout. I was shocked but not disturbed to the point of turning away from the book. I love the twist, I love the setting, I love the characters. I also love that this has short chapters! The only qualms I have are the few small plot details that didn’t really add up at the beginning. Otherwise it’s virtually perfect, which earned it a 4/5 ✨.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

I had a really hard time getting into this one. I almost DNF'ed but saw some good reviews & stuck with it, but ultimately this wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Every once in a while, I will find a book that calls to me and I'm not quite sure why. I saw this categorized as horror and Gothic, which I am sure you know are some of my favorite buzzwords, and knew I wanted to give it a go. And boy, am I glad I did! I finished this book several days ago and it is STILL sticking with me.

Ms. Winifred Notty is a governess by trade, even though it's pretty obvious she doesn't really like children. As the book opens, the reader sees her arriving for a new position at Ensor Houss for the Pounds family. Slowly Winifred falls into a routine carrying for the odd children, Andrew, who is weak but still the apple of his father's eyes and Druscilla, who is a bit peculiar with a hint of dangerousness mixed in. Winifred slowly becomes closer to Mr. Pounds, but not without the notice of Mrs. Pounds and as the book progresses, Winifred's behavior becomes more and more odd.

I don't want to say too much about this book. It's not an extremely long one and honestly, I think it's best to go into it with little information. As I was reading, I have to admit, I didn't like any of the characters and the children confirmed my life-long decision to not procreate. But man was I sure fascinated by all of them. At times the book reads like a fever dream and some of the sardonic thoughts in Winifred's mind did make me chuckle. I couldn't wait to see what happened next and devoured this book in two sittings. I also have to add, this book is not for the faint of heart and the ending... What an ending!

If you love Gothic horror and unhinged plots and characters, this is the book for you. There is a twist in Victorian Psycho I didn't see coming but once it had been revealed, it made so much sense. I definitely plan on going back and reading Feito's debut novel, Mrs. March. Even days after finishing it, I find my thoughts going back to this book. I need more from this author and can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

"I am led, laughing, to the gallows before a crowd of thirty thousand."

#victorianpsycho is a razor sharp novel about one Winifred Notty, who arrives at Ensor House as a governess, with little fanfare but huge plans. SO well written, visceral, grotesque and yet, slightly humorous and with some pathos. Everything in this world is grey and rotting, even the children are disgusting. "Notty" is a sad, perverse character, yet one can't help laughing along (albeit, in horror) with her thoughts and comments. Her behavior is SO over the top, no one is suspicious of her, and she gets away with SO much. Highly recommend.

P.S. Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC.

This just wasn’t it for me. I was intrigued by the premise but it felt drawn out and kind of poorly thrown together. Maybe it’s just not for me- and other people more familiar with the genre or this specific type of story will love it more.

An unhinged, horrifying, vile novel with the perfect touch of dark humor. This book is definitely not for the fate of heart as there is blood, murder, mayhem, and horror throughout. The title was perfect and Feito spins a creepy and dark tale set in the Victorian era following the protagonist, Miss Notty, who is a governess arriving at the Pounds residents to teach their two children. However, Miss Notty, has hidden secrets and a darkness that is oozing to be set free. Miss Notty is character you soon will not forget. The story is crazy and evil yet an interesting take on a female villain with a mission of revenge and pain. I picked this book up as I enjoyed the author's previous book, Mrs. March who also featured a dark, deranged, and unreliable narrator.

This book really has it all: gore, dark humor, ambiance, horror, an oddly charming main character, a well-developed setting, feminine rage, and TONS of violence. The perfect read for any fan of slashers & gore but also a beautifully-created Victorian England setting. I'm in love with Virginia Feito's prose. Her writing style, paired with short and fast-paced chapters made this book so binge-able and I could not put it down. I devoured this books so quickly. Seriously one of my favorite reads in a while.

I loved how, despite our main character's delusional state and thirst for blood throughout the novel, there was a lot of feminist commentary here. I found it very satisfying that after witnessing and commenting on many aspects of how women are viewed & treated in the family vs how the men are, Winifred was able to take a sort of "revenge" against the way society has structured their gender views and the roles of men and women within Victorian English culture.

I am so lucky to have received this amazing read as an ARC in exchange for my honest review, so thank you to NetGalley and Liveright Publishing Corporation for this opportunity. And thank you to Virginia Feito for a thoroughly-entertaining read!

Thanks to Netgalley, Liveright Publishing Company, and Virginia Feito for this e-ARC.

Well then, I'm not too sure where to start with this one. It's sick, twisted, and gory as you can imagine.

In this dark, horror novel we are invited into the frightening mind of governess, Winifred Notty, who is hired to care for the 2 children at a Victorian home called Ensor House.

Winifred is, in simple terms, a psychopath. She talks of her Darkness throughout the book and we understand that she has killed many before, and plans to kill everyone at Ensor House in due time. There is nobody who is safe, not even babies or young children, who she kills easily and simply, without a second though, and with zero remorse.

There are many disturbing scenes and very gory descriptions in this book, and while I did cringe at a lot of, it didn't stop me from reading and enjoying the crazy story.

This book was great! I really enjoyed it. It was twisted, weird, gothic, dark, and funny. I would recommend reading this if those are your type of vibes. Definitely a 5 star read!

I really wanted to like this but too much violence and body horror scenes and not enough storyline for me. Despite of this I liked the setting for this novel and the little story line that was present. The twist at the end and the conclusion of the novel were ok. I enjoyed the authors former work Mrs March so had high hopes for this one.

This book is really something. Horrific. Terrible. Entertaining. This is not literature for the faint of heart. As readers, we are taken down a twisting path of madness that grows progressively darker and more strange with every turn of the page. It is a worthwhile read for any horror fan.