Half historical fiction, half horror, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter pumps fresh lore into the vampire legend and punctuates the phrase, "You are what you eat," with fang marks.

It's 1912 and a pastor with a murky past is visited by Good Stab, a Blackfoot Indian. Good Stab searches for a confessor to unload not exactly menial sins and chooses a preacher that hasn't always been god-faring. As scenes progress a dark, blood-soaked, connection between the two characters is slowly unveiled. Most of their story ends up in a journal obtained by a professor in 2012, and she too is creatively linked to the wider narrative. The book begins and ends in modern times but is predominately set with vivid authenticity in early 20th century Montana.

Buffalo Hunter Hunter draws pictures with colorful lines and offers meaningful cultural distinctions. Graham Jones is Blackfeet Native American and he applies unique perspective towards creating a truly sinister Blackfoot protagonist. Good Stab is especially terrifying because his words and actions are delivered with such veracity. Scenes carried by nature and dialogue catapult you to another time. Modern sections are told in a tone and voice that serve to snap the reader out of the trance they are lusciously placed in by the main narrative.

Recommended to fans of historical fiction, horror and the movie Ravenous. Thank you Netgalley and SagaPress for a review copy.

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is a blend of historical fiction and horror. While it took me a bit to get into, once the story sucked me in, it didn't let go. The style of story telling through journal entries was honestly such a fun way to read this.

The is my second SGJ book and I’m convinced this man is a master storyteller. He’ll make a horror fan out of me yet.

BHH spans multiple timelines, the main one taking place in the late 1800s in the American West, in the hard landscape of what was soon to be Montana. As the Pikuni and other Indigenous tribes learn what it means to live with napikwan (white men), Good Stab has to learn how to live as… whatever he is now.

As I experienced with the other SGJ book I’ve read, this book starts a little slow. I wasn’t sure if I was going to click with the story. But about 10% and three POVs in, we meet Good Stab and everything fell into place. I was hooked until the very end.

There was a moment about half way in, not even a sad moment, where I found myself in tears. The way SGJ tells the story of the Blackfeet, of their culture and connection to one another and the land, was so full of heart and reverence. I can’t quite explain this, but because our narrator was someone who lost his Blackfeet identity, the story felt like a mourning for what we’ve all lost through colonization. Yet also a celebration? I’m failing here but just know it was beautiful.

Ohh and the acknowledgements! When SGJ compared Good Stab to My Pafology my mind was blown. He also personally named and thanked the marketers and editors over at Saga Press. What a guy.

If you like stories that are moving, unsettling, immersive, shocking, and hauntingly beautiful, pick this one up.

This my telling for today. The pipe is empty.

A diary discoverd within a wall unravels a tale of revenge.
Wow. This book was fantastic and gruesome. Atmospheric writing interwoven with tense, heartbreaking moments. The past and present timelines were done well. The writing style was different for me. (Journal entries)
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

A found journal from 1912, written by a pastor documenting his conversations with a Native American named Good Stab. The journal documents Good Stab's weekly confessions and its impact on the pastor's daily life. Also, Good Stab claims to be a vampire-like creature who's been alive for 80 years and has been exacting revenge on behalf of his slaughtered tribe and the buffalo that once we're plentiful in the northern wild west.

Stephen Graham Jones hits some dark and meaningful topics in this incredible and epic novel spanning decades and a century. I could easily imagine a prestige limited series comparable to Midnight Mass with a brooding antihero protagonist who's hellbent on revenge and willing to kill and worse to ultimately save what he holds most dear.
I would compare this to Interview with a Vampire, Midnight Mass, Bone Tomahawk and maybe even You Were Never Really Here.

Stephen Graham Jones Returns with His Most Chilling Masterpiece Yet!

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is a haunting, Interview with the Vampire-esque tale that delves deep into legend, history, and horror. At its core, it tells the story of a vampiric hunter whispered about among the Blackfeet—an entity both feared and revered. And no one, no one, writes horror quite like Stephen Graham Jones. His unmistakable voice, laced with razor-sharp intensity and emotional depth, is on full display here, making The Buffalo Hunter Hunter one of his most mesmerizing and unforgettable works yet.

This novel is a slow burn at first, rich with exposition that some may find methodical—but trust me, every single detail matters. Names, titles, and identities play a pivotal role in shaping the story’s eerie, inevitable descent into darkness. Good Stab, the enigmatic, morally gray protagonist, is a character so compelling, so hauntingly complex, that I would willingly follow him into hell and back. His shifting identities, and the weight they carry, unfold in ways that are both chilling and profound, culminating in an ending that left me absolutely speechless. The final chapters, offering a glimpse decades into the future, serve as a stark reminder that the sins of the past will always come knocking.

If you’re a fan of Midnight Mass or Interview with the Vampire, this is the vampire story you must read. Gripping, poetic, and utterly unshakable—The Buffalo Hunter Hunter will linger in your bones long after you turn the last page.

I go into most of my reads blind. I did for this one, and I struggled to follow what was happening. I decided to read the synopsis and start the book over. That made all the difference.

I loved the concept of reading the diary written by the Pastor. I was so captivated by everything he had to say. A vampire seeking revenge was brilliant and I thoroughly enjoyed this unique tale.

Stephen Graham Jones blends horror with history, mythology with massacre, and has once again graced us with a tale that intertwines historical horror with supernatural elements giving us a protagonist who is as haunted as the things he hunts. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

This time, he’s taking on vampires in the Blackfeet Nation.

Set in the early 20th century American West, the story unfolds through the discovery of a 1912 diary penned by a Lutheran pastor. This diary reveals a series of transcribed interviews with Good Stab, a Blackfeet individual who recounts his transformation into a vampire—a metamorphosis spurred by the atrocities committed against his people, including the Marias Massacre and the near-extinction of the buffalo. Jones uses this supernatural lens to dissect themes of colonization, cultural genocide, and the insidious nature of revenge. It’s as if Bram Stoker took a detour through Native American history, with a dash of Quentin Tarantino for good measure.

This is a vampire novel like no other! SGJ’s vampire lore, rooted in Indigenous storytelling and existential dread, feels raw, immediate, and deeply American in its horror. Very much in SGJ style, he delivers this one to us is stream-of-consciousness prose that moves like a predator with quiet moments of poetry before the violence slams into you like a buffalo stampede.

Jones employs a multifaceted narrative structure, blending diary entries (one of my favorite writing techniques), interviews, and letters to create a rich tapestry of perspectives. The prose is atmospheric and evocative, immersing you in a world where the supernatural serves as a mirror to historical horrors.

This isn’t just a vampire novel though, it’s extremely layered; it’s a meditation on justice, revenge, and cultural erasure, set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing West.

It’s a heartbreaking, bloody revenge story that truly shows the savage atrocities and inorganic uprise of American history.

The pacing is slow but methodical. If you prefer immediate carnage, just be patient. When the horror hits? It hits. SGJ’s horror is abstract. It’s psychological, existential, and steeped in folklore and this book is heavy, in every which way, dealing with themes of cultural trauma, loss, and the weight of vengeance. Expect heartbreak. It’s relentlessly dark.

A story as unsettling as it is poignant, blending the macabre with the melancholic. The novel’s ability to intertwine personal vengeance with broader cultural trauma offers a profound exploration of identity and loss. It’s a haunting, thought-provoking read that lingers.

SGJ has given us yet another deeply unsettling, richly layered horror novel that’s as much about history as it is about bloodshed. If The Only Good Indians was about haunting guilt and generational horror, this seems to be a tale of hunting and retribution—but, as with all SGJ books, the real question will be: who’s actually the hunter here?

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter stands as a testament to Stephen Graham Jones’s mastery in blending horror with historical and cultural commentary. It’s a novel that challenges, haunts, and ultimately enriches the reader, much like the history it seeks to unearth. Solid 5 star read!

Stephen Graham Jones has done it again. This is a wild, eerie, and utterly terrifying tale—equal parts disturbing and full of scathing criticism of colonialism, organized religion, and racism.

The story unfolds across multiple timelines, with much of it told through journal entries from a pastor in 1912, who records the chilling confession of a Blackfeet man over several days.

I’ll be honest—I struggled with this at first. The language was difficult to follow, and as expected with Jones, it’s a slow burn. But it paid off. I always trust this author to deliver, and once I hit the 35% mark, I could not put it down.

This book is freshly terrifying—Interview with the Vampire infused with pure rage, perfectly suited for our current political climate. It reimagines vampire lore through the lens of folk horror and Blackfeet legend, delivering Jones’s signature atmospheric dread and culminating in a scene of shocking violence.

If you’re looking for something that’ll keep you up at night, I highly recommend The Buffalo Hunter Hunter.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press Books for allowing me to read this book and share my thoughts.
I don't even know where to begin! I wish I could dive deep into this book with you all, but I must contain the spoilers!
This historical horror is filled with retribution, revenge, & redemption—a trinity that leads the reader to unravel the truth about Good Stab & the truth about Arthur.
This harrowing story is heavy and has many cultural elements that enhance the story! The events that took place in this book were terrifying, and there was no shortage of blood/gore.
Just like the real history of the Americas, honestly.
I loved the development of Good Stab! SGJ's version of a realistic vampire was fascinating to read about. In his interview, SGJ talked about sticking true to the idea that vampirism is meant to be a curse. And cursed he was!
I understand that SGJ's writing style isn't for everyone, but I recommend you give this book a shot. I admit it took me a bit to get back into his flow, but once I did, it was incredible! There is so much creativity & memorable quotes! Overall, an amazing read!

This book was so good - I will be thinking about this story for a long time!! I am not a huge horror reader but I could not put this down - it is dark and raw and like nothing I have ever read. I don’t even know where to start….

This book is so emotional and horrifying because while the story about a vampire is fiction, what happened to the indigenous people in the US was very very real. This is not an easy read (there is no whitewashing of history here) but it makes this story so impactful and may have you questioning what the true horror was here.

This book takes place in three different time periods. A Blackfeet vampire named Good Stab tells a confession to a Lutheran pastor named Arthur in 1912. The priest’s journal is found in a wall and ends up in the hands of Arthur’s great great great granddaughter Etsy in 2013 and goes back to the Marias Massacre of 1870.

No spoilers - but that ending…all I can say is holy hell.

Two words: Weasel Plume

✨What To Expect:
☠️ Horror
🦬 Historical Fiction
🙀 Paranormal/Supernatural
🩸 Bloody Vengeance
🧛 Vampires
🔪 Trauma/Revenge
📝 Journal Entries

This book is nothing short of a masterpiece. I've read nearly all of Jones' books, and this is the best. The historical elements are wonderfully realized, and the story told is moving and powerful. Gonna be recommending this to everyone I know.

"What I am is the Indian who can't die.
I'm the worst dream America ever had."

While I can't definitively state that The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is Stephen Graham Jones' best work yet, I can pretty confidently say that it's my favorite of everything I've read, which includes all the big names (minus the final installment of the Indian Lake trilogy, which remains as-yet unread on my bookshelf). Although I will say that the short story Brushdogs will probably continue living rent-free in my head more than anything else I ever read from him.

When Etsy is presented with the newly discovered journal of one Arthur Beaucarne, her great-great-great-grandfather, she sees the opportunity for publication and job security. We open the pastor's journal on the recording of his first meeting with a mysterious Blackfeet who goes by many names: Weasel Plume, Good Stab, The Fullblood, Takes No Scalps. He begins to tell Arthur, whom he calls Three-Persons (a nod to the Trinity) the story of the day he died, and everything that has followed.

SGJ is known for recreating our most mythic monsters and rewriting the rules. Better-versed in all things horror than most, he's the sort of expert who can break something apart and create something new and dynamic out of the pieces. Werewolves, slashers, final girls; and now, the most iconic creature of all: the vampire. Good Stab tells us how he's struggled against the hunger he was infected with and the years he spent trying to wrestle some control of himself. We see his body transformed and brutalized. There's a particularly gruesome scene with a forearm bone that made me want to pull the hood of my sweatshirt over my eyes.

One of the things I love most about SGJ's work is the idea of vengeance. In The Angel of Indian Lake, we've got the ghost of the murdered Stacey Graves. The elk spirit in The Only Good Indians. The driving force in I Was a Teenage Slasher (and near enough in other slasher hits Final Girls and Night of the Mannequins). While these also grapple with the realities of being Indigenous in a world controlled by people who are hostile to your very existence, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter spotlights a specific and well-known massacre as the source of all the violence the book treats us to.

"You put your reminds of pain on the wall and pray to them. We still hurt, so we don't need the reminder." Good Stab tells Three-Persons, highlighting the absurdity of putting the crucifix and the American flag everywhere.

As Good Stab recounts most of his killings, specifically in his role as the titular Buffalo Hunter Hunter, it'd be hard to call the unwarranted or unjustified (unless you're arguing from the point of pacifism or something). Whatever fate we're awaiting for Three-Persons as well. It's hard to feel sympathetic for the guy who maligns the intelligence of "savages" and thinks the Pinkertons are swell. These are people who are experiencing the consequences of their actions, whatever their reasons for making them.

But then we jump back to the modern day where Etsy's life is now falling apart. Academics aren't interested in the ludicrous vampire-fueled ramblings of some pastor? And to top it all off, her cat goes missing. While it doesn't dwell on the question, we do get a moment to ask ourselves where the buck stops in terms of bearing consequences and what responsibilities fall to us after.

Not sure of Good Stab would ever be able to find his way to the Sandhills after everything, but here's hoping he found peace of a kind.

Massive thanks to Netgalley for the eARC (and Aardvark for having this as an early release).

Stephen Graham Jones is the author of one of my absolute favorite horror novels, and I have generally found his work eye opening as well as chilling. The Buffalo Hunter Hunter was a bit different than other SGJ novels, as a historical fiction vampire novel it was a difficult read in more ways than just the subject matter. Written in alternating viewpoint for most of the novel, with a Lutheran preacher's journal entries and his transcription of Good Stab's confessions, the language used required close reading and enhanced the gothic feel of the stories.

As is often the case with SGJ's writings, I walked away from this one with the feeling that I have learned Native American history even more than been entertained. The character Good Stab brings a new perspective to the vampire, making the reader almost feel sorry for him and empathize with his mission.

Thank you to Netgalley and Saga Press for the digital ARC of The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones. The opinions in this review are my own.

4.25⭐️
This is the first novel that I’ve read by Stephen Graham Jones, and I was incredibly impressed. I was thoroughly spooked out and scared at the end. It did seem to take forever to get there though.

The structure of the book can seem slightly confusing as the time line bounces from 2012, to 1912 to the 1800s. There are 3 different narrators. There’s Etsy who is reading the journal from her great-great-grandfather who is recounting the story that an Indian named Good Stab is telling him. The voice of each character is extremely distinct and nuanced, although, I did find Etsy’s sections to be disorienting and hard to follow due to the way she spoke.

Jones’ take on vampires was very interesting. He did an excellent job of explaining just enough. I think sometimes over explaining something fantastical can cause not only more confusion but allows more plot holes to pop up. Whereas, when the “why and how” is left just ambiguous enough, the focus is shifted on a more important part of the story.

Although this isn’t an extremely lengthy story, Jones does get a little long winded at the beginning. I don’t feel like this really added to the story. I think there are lots of parts along the way that could’ve been cut back and I still would’ve left feeling connected to Good Stab and invested in the priest. I’m still not sure I completely understand the point to Etsy as a character, especially at the end of the book. There is a certain part in the last section of the book I think the story should have been ended at and it would have been much more powerful than the way Jones chose to end it. Regardless, excellent story. I will definitely read more from him.

***Thank you NetGalley, Stephen Graham Jones, and Saga Press for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.***

I’ve never read something by Stephen Graham Jones that I didn’t love. He really never misses and this was obviously not an exception. I don’t even know what to say, it left me a bit drained if I’m honest.

It took a tiny bit for me to really lock in, but once I did, I couldn’t escape. I also will admit I was a bit fearful going into it because I’m not someone who loves historical fiction generally, and yet here I am. Either I was very wrong, or Stephen is just an exception. I think I’d read and love literally anything by him, so consider me biased in that sense. His writing style will always get a yes from me.

I’m gonna be thinking about this one for a while. Especially the end. I fear the prairie dog thing will stick with me. Horrifying. All of this was horrifying and sad and so good.

Dear Author,

Where have you been all my life? I absolutely loved this gory, bloody tale! I've been telling everyone to buy it when it comes out. My store will carry this title, and others going forward. I will definitely be buying my own copy and reading all your works.

Thank you,

J.D. McCoughtry

Thank you, NetGalley and S&S/Saga Press for this e-ARC.

e Buffalo Hunter Hunter is another shining example of the caliber of writing that Stephen Graham Jones is capable of. The story is told in competing POVs, which could have gotten messy, but most assuredly did not. There is the conversation between the Luthern priest and a Blackfeet man called Good Stab, journal entries by the priest, and also through the POV and journal entries of the priest's descendant Etsy (living more or less in modern day). This all pans out simultaneously throughout The Buffalo Hunter Hunter in an easy to follow and incredibly engaging way. I know some people feel that SGJ's work can take some easing into, but as per usual I was hooked by the end of the first paragraph.

Like his other works, this isn't the type of book you're going to fly through or read in your spare time. It's fairly lengthy, and it is crushingly heavy. But once again, it's worth the pain. The story itself is beautifully told. There are all the themes you might now expect from Jones: you're going to have to contend with the horrors of the colonization of so-called "early America," the near extinction level brutal killing of buffalo, racism, genocide, vengeance, vigilante justice, and the like. If you're familiar with SGJ's Earthdivers comics, the vibes are not dissimilar. You get to see a little bit of justice served on super shitty people perpetrating unfathomably shitty crimes on indigenous people.

"What started 143 years ago ends today, one way or another."

I loved every single word on all 448 pages. I cried. A lot. And I felt so, so angry. But there's some catharsis in seeing vengeance visited down upon the people responsible for "settling" (I can't roll my eyes hard enough) this land. And I say that as someone likely descended from some of those same people - I don't know, really, and I'll be damned if I'm selling my DNA to a private corporation in the interest of finding out I'm descended from human garbage. Thanks, but no thanks.

Even those of us who aren't willing to admit it (*ahem* because it's not politically expedient, I imagine) know that trauma leaves a long and lasting legacy [ALLITERATION FUCKING KILL ME]. I think that not only is The Buffalo Hunter Hunter outwardly addressing that, but it feels to me that all SGJ's work attempts to address and possibly redress it - even if only in a fictional sense. So don't worry, you're not reading about the dark and terrible history of early America just to grind yourself down. You might learn something. About history, about indigenous people, or maybe even about yourself. Or maybe you won't. I'm not here to tell you what to take away from this or any other media. But I will tell you that I come away from every one of Jones' novels feeling like I've added a little richness to my worldview.

On a lighter note that probably feels completely out of pocket after that, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter gives a really interesting take on vampire lore that is somewhat different than I am used to, and I like to think I'm pretty well versed in vampire business. So that's also a huge point in its favor. Some of it is stuff I've seen used before, but not this well, while other bits I'm not sure I've ever encountered elsewhere. So, good times.

Rating:

★★★★★

This one didn't require a break like The Only Good Indians where I had to just sit with myself for a while and let some of that crushing tension dissipate, but it was a damned good story that I tried really hard not to get specific with because I REALLY want everyone to get to experience the particulars themselves.

**this review goes live on my site at 6AM CST on 3/19/25

One of my most anticipated reads of 2025 did not disappoint!

Similar to most books by Stephan Graham Jones this is a slow burn. It wasn't until I was about 25% in that I was hooked. The main reason it personally took me a while to get into was because of the language-- the majority of the book uses the language of the early 20th century and the main character Good Stab's use of Pikuni dialect and phrases. One of my favorite things about SGJ is he makes reading engaging, you have to use context clues to figure out what is being talked about. For example, napikwan are white people, black robes are clergymen, and then all the animals and other aspects of nature have their own descriptor.

This is a vampire revenge story told predominately from the diary entries of a pastor named Arthur as he documents the confessions of Good Stab, a vampire whose features are altered by the animal or human he consumes. These journals are then read during the 2010s by Arthur's great-great-granddaughter. What unfolds is a devastating story of a vampire honoring the Blackfeet who were murdered during the Marias Massacre and witnessing the history that sought to erase them.

Horror fans, in particular fans of body horror and gore, will eat this up (pun intended). The imagery is spine-tingling and the way revenge is served is deliciously satisfying, leading to this being one of the most unique vampire stories I have ever read. This one gave me chills and I can't recommend it enough!

SGJ is masterful. He has a way of hitting every single emotion in his books and this one was no different. I cried, laughed...almost puked...(it is horror afterall). I was hooked from the beginning of Good Stab's story through the end.