This was my first time reading a book by Stephen Graham Jones after hearing about how amazing his books are, and this book certainly lived up to the hype. The characters were mindblowing and the horror elements were so well executed. I wasn't expecting the story to have an emotional aspect.

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, a menacingly dark and mesmerizingly atmospheric American Indian revenge story, follows an indigenous vampire haunting the fields of the Blackfeet reservation looking for justice.⁣
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A diary, written in 1912 by a Lutheran pastor is discovered within a wall 100 years alter - and within, it reveals a slow massacre, a chain of events that go back to 217 Blackfeet dead in the snow. The pastor recorded his interviews with a Blackfeet man named Good Stab, who can not seem to die, and who has a taste for blood. ⁣
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In true SGJ form this one is full of tension and gore - an incredibly gripping and unique supernatural historical horror tale layered with passion, history, and culture and is a masterfully crafted tale of reckoning and revenge.⁣

Also, check this one out on audio - it’s a chilling listen with a full cast.

I feel like I say this about every SGJ book I read, but I really do think this one may be my favorite. Why? Because we already know that SGJ can write a hell of a horror novel. We know that his kills cut deep. We know that our emotions will slam back and forth between humor and horror in a masterful rhythm. We already know that when this author chooses to tell us something, to make it personal, to make it hurt - we’re all in. THE BUFFALO HUNTER HUNTER does all that and more.

Into the historical setting of the “claimed and solidified” American West, the decimation of the American Bison, the forced relocation of Indigenous communities, the environmental strains that were already beginning to show as a result of westward expansion in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, SGJ gives us a vampire story unlike any you’ve read.

Not since MAN MADE MONSTERS by Andrea Rogers have I delighted so much in a supernatural tale from an Indigenous author. I know most of #horrorbookstagram probably already has this one on their radar to pick up, but if not, consider correcting that. This type of story, one that isn’t afraid to tear open and expose rotten histories some would rather choose to leave undisturbed, is so important now more than ever.

Many thanks to the author and Saga Press for sharing an early copy with me in exchange for an honest review.

Brilliant, intense, and thought-provoking. This might be Jones' best book yet, and that's saying a lot.

I won’t lie—I’ve been losing faith in horror books. Maybe it’s the ones I’ve been picking up, or maybe the new releases just aren’t hitting the way I want them to. Lately, I’ve found better horror elements in other genres than in actual horror books. There’s nothing like a story that catches you so off guard you forget how to read. I want to love horror again—I just might be picking up the wrong ones.

And then The Buffalo Hunter Hunter reminded me that horror is out there—I’m just terrible at finding the right books. This one made me realize I crave horror that pushes boundaries, digs deep into the human condition, and makes me feelsomething.

Meet Etsy—on the verge of a career crisis. She needs a new research project to secure her position as a professor or start over somewhere else. While digging into her ancestry, she finds a journal from her great-great-grandfather, hoping it will be her breakthrough. The book weaves together three timelines, unraveling a story about survival, government control over Indigenous people, and what it means to uncover family history—especially when that history stares back at you.

This wasn’t an easy read. The horror elements creep up on you, the one-liners hit hard, and the language takes some adjustment. But trust me—stick with it.

What I loved most was how every detail that seemed like a loose thread got woven back in beautifully. The parallels between Arthur and Etsy were subtle at first, but by the end, their similarities were undeniable—especially in their writing.

If you’ve made it this far, you need to consider adding this to your TBR. But if gore isn’t your thing or big words scare you, maybe skip it.

3-19 Update: posted pn TikTok
One of the finest books I’ve read. A stab to the heart, and the beat of a heart, too, elevating the reading to a feeling like climbing to a high place and looking back. From the rolling cadences of the language to characters rendered so fully I could see them and carry them with me between readings, this novel captured me. This is literature and storytelling of the most entertaining, essential, and indelible kind.

Stephen Graham Jones brings history to life with the nightmare truths of massacres and a rich depiction of lore, language–as rendered in English–and the ways of life of the tribes.

The buffalo will be with me for a long time. I visited the herd in Golden Gate park while I was a student. It was moving and intense to be transported back in time and experience their history.

The horror rises in layers, from creeping dread to crescendos still imprinted behind my eyes. By all measures, structure, pacing, suspense, characterization, and on through the ending, this novel hits the highest level. I relished the lore and excellent details of one of my favorite horror elements. I’ll leave it at that to avoid spoilers.

The heart and originality in this book knocked me out. This was my first book by Stephen Graham Jones. I need to read all of them now. Loved the acknowledgements, too.

For other readers who know buffalo hunting and the true brutality against the original people on the land will be upsetting to read: The detailed, disturbing scenes were painful, yet for me it didn't become too much or leave me depressed. The writing and finely-honed construction are so masterful I felt all of the events without becoming overwhelmed. The novel has a wide emotional range including love and wonder.

My highest recommendation for seasoned readers of horror, hard-hitting literary fiction, historical fiction, dark gothics, and / or #ownvoices novels. 
I'll add the TikTok link.

I struggled in the beginning to grasp the language both of the pastor and Good Stab, the Blackfeet. As the story progressed, I began to settle in and eventually figured out the meanings of the words/phrases that initially had me muddled. The confessions of Good Stab burgeoned into a series of horrific events. They were filled with countless slaughters and several battles. Recounts of unimaginable body horror, nonstop violence and a wild, unbelievable metamorphosis and mutation. The pastor, Arthur, cannot for the life of him understand why he was chosen for these confessions but even as unsettling as it was to listen - listen he did “with a good heart”. Ultimately the truth of Good Stabs visits is revealed and my jaw dropped and chills ran down my spine! And just when I grasped the realization of it all - the story takes one more turn. This book took me on a such an emotional yet necessary journey back in time. I was angry, infuriated, terrified but mostly sad. This one will stay with me.

4.5 ⭐️

My favorite animal is the Buffalo which technically is a Bison but I refuse to say that, and my favorite horror creature is the Vampire so this book was already a must read for me even though I’ve read 3 book by this author before and HATED them all. I find Stephen to be extremely preachy with his writing and every book has some form of “white people suck” comment and his writing also is very difficult to enjoy with the amount of commas he uses. It just doesn’t feel natural on how we actually speak.

All that being said this book is amazing. Yes it’s a little preachy but it’s also historically relevant so I’m okay with it. It’s very much a slow burn but I challenge anyone to tell me a single vampire story that isn’t. I absolutely loved the horror elements of this. The way he builds the ominous feel of it as well as the bloody clashes. The unique twist he puts into it was also a blast as well. Whatever the vampire drinks he will eventually turn into which is EXTREMELY relevant at the end of the book and I was just in love with it.

This is very much not a happy book but I’m a cynic at heart so I loved it. This was Stephen’s last chance with me and he did well enough that I’m willing to read more by him.

Thank you Netgally and Saga press for the ARC.

This book is brutal, haunting, and deeply necessary. It reimagines vampire folklore through a lens of historical horror, centering the real-life atrocities committed against the Blackfeet people and transforming them into something both devastating and vengeful. The story unfolds through diary entries and transcribed confessions, layering perspectives in a way that demands patience but rewards with a chilling, immersive atmosphere. The violence is relentless, but it never feels gratuitous—it’s a reflection of the horrors that history often tries to erase. Stephen Graham Jones has crafted something unsettling, raw, and impossible to forget.

I have found that Stephen Graham Jones books are hit or miss, like others have mentioned. Unfortunately, this was a bit of a miss for me. I was so excited for a new book, but I’m on the fence about this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m really hit or miss on Stephen Graham Jones books. My favorite of his so far has been I Was A Teenage Slasher which is WILDLY different in tone. While that one was an homage and nod to classic horror movie tropes, this one takes on a deep introspection of Native American culture and highlighting the horror of their pain and trauma by making it physically real in a more visceral vampire story. As a white woman whose family immigrated to the US in the early 1800s, whooooooo boy was the guilt there for me. As a concept this book was beautifully done. As a story though, the story-within-a-story-within-a-story was just too many layers for me, and it got LONG at times. So many climactic moments only to realize there was more to come, so many fights and battles and not all of them felt purposeful or like they added to the narrative. So unfortunately by the end I felt like I was just dragging myself to get through it. Oh and seriously if you don’t like excessive gore absolutely avoid this one.

Would you read an old diary that you found hidden in your house? I know curiosity would win for me, but I would hope to find something less horrific than the diary of Arthur Beacarne. It is 100 years old and tells quite a story.
This like other books by this author is not (for me at least) a treadmill or even a train read. I have to turn my phone to silent and mute the endless notifications that arrive on my iPad. A roaring fire, a cozy blanket, and me curled up with this book on my couch. I had to put it aside once I started getting tired, or I would have to reread sections again. None of these are bad things, I’m just sharing that this book was an experience that consumed my full attention. Thank you for listening to my TED talk, now back to the book…
I’m pretty sure most people know what we Americans did to the buffalo. And all those Hallmark cards with the pilgrim sharing Thanksgiving with Native Americans. I think or at least I hope that history reflects more of what actually happened. If not, this book is an engrossing dose of reality with more than a little horror mixed in. If you’ve never read any of the author’s work, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter will leave you much more knowledgeable about what it was like to have your land, your life, and everything you held dear taken from you.
Oh, just in case I’ve managed to make this sound somewhat dry, it is not. There are vampires, gore, and plenty of horror. An unforgettable read. 4.5 stars.

Good Stab’s life is changed completely after a scuffle with soldiers in the woods who harbor a strange creature in a cage…that gets out and wreaks havoc. Years later, the story is told to a Lutheran pastor with a penchant for baked goods, who writes it all down in a journal found a century later that is now being transcribed by that preacher’s descendant.

Part fascinating monster tale, part gut-wrenching look at (after)life in the west in late 1800s/early 1900s, this book is historical horror at its best. While reading it, I couldn’t help but think about Frankenstein even though this is a vampire book: The “monster” questioning what they are, the despair after unintentional harm, the loneliness.

I really liked the narrative device of a found journal. It added to the haunting atmosphere and uncomfortable feeling of desperately wanting to know what happens next but being forced to wait for the pastor to shakily write down the events of the day. I was so sucked in I had forgotten that our story started with the descendant of the pastor that when we switched back to her POV, it was jarring in the way that someone sneaks up behind you while you're working. However, it was also absolutely necessary to wrap up the story as much as it could be wrapped up.

This book is gross and gory monster horror, yes, but it is also exquisitely written and had me in tears at multiple points throughout. It is truly a fascinating and evocative exploration of vampires and the colonization of what is now the United States.

Stephen Graham Jones has created another masterpiece.

Hooks you from the beginning, and unravels a fictional story with a lot of basis in actual history.

This book will keep you reading long past your bedtime, and you will think about it for a long time after.

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is a historical horror novel that spans multiple timelines. It is told through the diary entries of Arthur Beaucarne, a Lutherin pastor who finds himself drawn into the orbit of a man named Good Slab. Through these diary entries, we are transported into a story filled with vengeance, grief and survival, all with the backdrop of a vampire tale.

This was a deeply grim, gory and gripping novel. It was slow paced, but rich with detail, leading to the creation of a setting and atmosphere that left me both shivering and devastated. At it’s core, the real horror in this novel truly is real history - the massacre of America’s Native inhabitants because they were believed to be sub-human. It was poignant and painful, brutal and necessary. Those who are sensitive to horror themes should definitely check trigger warnings prior to reading this one. It does not shy away from violence.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for sharing this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Saga Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I always think Stephen Graham Jones’ novels are well-written and well-researched, and The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is no different. It took me a little bit to get used to Jones’ framing and I wish that I had done a quick history crash course before picking this up—this is based on the Marias Massacre, and having that background would have made for a richer first read—but things fell in place really well and I think the tension and horror was excellent. Good Stab is a rich, complex character and while the story itself is deeply unpleasant, it’s also very compelling and difficult to put down. I loved the way Jones wove history into a vampire story, and while it’s hard to read, I definitely will re-read it.

This is Stephen Graham Jones at his absolute best. Absolute best, okay. I loved everything about this and will not be quite about it ever

One of my favorite books of 2025. An absolute 10 out of 10! This book takes you on long and windy journey over more than 170 years and was impossible to put down. Breaking down a vampire story into one of true loneliness and loss. Full of more than just individual grief, but a sorrow so much larger than that. As the tale unfolds you will find yourself sucked in by the current and bashed over the head by the waves of emotion when you least expect them.
A truly emotional story while also so absolutely terrifying. Playing up the raw and real body horror elements of this version of vampire. A somewhat slow burn at the beginning but then out of nowhere it grips you until the very last page.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for gifting this over early. 10/10

DNF at 17%.

I really wanted to like this book but this wasn't for me. Thanks to reviewers on Goodreads, I read up on the Blackfeet Nation and the Marias Massacre (which was heartbreaking and informative) but it only got me so far. I'm still unable to understand most of what's happening. I know the pastor is distracted by cake though.

The vampire bits, when we got to it were great but I'm afraid, I just can't seem to get into the book right now.

Hopefully, I can at another time. Thanks to Netgalley & Saga Press for the e-copy!

I have loved the other books that I’ve read by this author, but I have to be honest here, I really struggled through 60-70% of this book. That’s not to say that I didn’t appreciate the author’s writing and the story being told, but this one felt long and took me way longer to read than most. The ending is, however, phenomenal so I’m left with a lot of mixed feelings on this one.

What I loved and appreciated about this was the amount of research and time that had to have gone into this to make it a historically set horror that blends many traditions, genres, and does it from two very different perspectives of the same events. I really loved this dichotomy between our vampire character in Good Stab and the Lutheran pastor that he is confiding in. The first half is what I really struggled with as it isn’t particularly plot heavy, and at times, it is purposefully vague or convoluted. But as the story slowly comes together, I am certainly in awe of the time and patience that went into crafting this work.

I think the present day timeline is really what tied this together for me and made it so much more impactful and really makes the past hit home in a way that is harder to do in just a historical context. For this alone, I ended up feeling much more appreciative of the time it took to read this book. This book is not an easy read, as I have highlighted the parts that really slowed me down already, but the content is equally difficult as it deals with the near extinction of the buffalo and the indigenous people, in this case the Blackfeet. By tying it to the present, this book really asks you to reflect on this very dark part of US history that is often glossed over or merely mentioned as a footnote to westward expansion.

I also love the revenge story aspect of this, and if this isn’t the ultimate revenge story, I don’t know what is. This book is heavily violent and gory as the events it is depicting often was. I would consider this necessary violence as it is important for us as a country to know what was done on our behalf by our ancestors to indigenous people and the animals that they relied on for survival. The characters all kind of straddle a morally grey line, particularly our vampire protagonist, who although a killer is a very sympathetic killer at times. This book will make you feel uncomfortable and squeamish and certainly won’t be for everyone (I’m still not sure if it was even for me), but I think it is definitely worth the read.