Jones' opus! Unforgettable and tragic in a deep and fundamental way that everyone should experience.

A professor seeking tenure in the present hopes they have found their saving grace in the recently discovered journal of their Lutheran pastor ancestor who disappeared mysteriously not long after the last entry in the journal. The pastor chronicles the visits of the titular character to his church who has had several names including Good Stab. Good Stab wishes to confess to the pastor (even though the clergyman is Lutheran and not Catholic), and he proceeds to visit the church on a regular basis with his tale becoming more horrifying and unreal each time, also making it clear that the pastor himself is deeply connected to it. The slow burn suspense of all of this culminates into an ending that is satisfyingly conclusive yet open in a way that invites the reader to figure out their connection to all of this and how to proceed knowing what we know about our shared history.

If you read Stephen Graham Jones and have not read this book, drop anything else you are reading and pick this one up. If you have never read Stephen Graham Jones, this is the place you start. Jones' Indigenous heritage is suffused throughout much of his work, and it never fails to cut deep. However, the way he masterfully weaves conventional horror and suspense with the historical horrors of the treatment of Indigenous peoples in America has never been done better in any of his previous books. How should those who visited violence on innocent people be repaid? How far down the line should it be repaid? Is it even possible that it can ever be repaid? When a horror novel leaves you with these questions, you know you have just experienced something amazing so I cannot recommend this book highly enough to readers of horror and readers of historical fiction.

Many thanks to Saga Press and NetGalley for providing a pre-publication copy for review purposes. My opinions about this book are my own.

I had heard so much buzz about this book and saw that it was a monthly selection through Aardvark Book Club so I was so excited to have the opportunity to be able to read this book. Before I started reading this book I did not read any prior reviews or opinions of others so I went into this completely blind. I feel the less you know before reading this one works out much better. It starts off at a slow pace which might turn readers away but the slow burn is so satisfying that you want to keep reading to see what is taking place and happening. This book is so unique because it’s a blend of various genres, weaving horror with historical fiction and literary fiction. The mesh of genres seamlessly combine together in a brilliant way. This is not your usual typical novel and at times the story can be difficult to follow but the writing style was so distinctive and outstanding that it definitely will leave you spooked. The originality and the vivid imagery left me haunted and chilled to my bones because that’s how strong the power and brilliance of this novel is. I highly recommend this book! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review and feedback.

Ok, first thing I want to say is the title, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, is so good. It immediately intrigued me and it’s a perfect title for this book.
Ok and now, what did I just read? This was incredible. I loved this so much. It was such a unique take on a vampire book. I have never read anything like it. I don’t even want to say too much about the vampire-ness because I feel like you should go in blind and discover it for yourself. It’s so good and so unique though.
I really loved how this book was written as well. It’s told in journal entries. An indigenous man is telling his confession to a Lutheran pastor and this pastor is writing it down for his great great great granddaughter to find much later.
Honestly, I loved everything about this book. The title, the cover, and every word written. I know this book will stick with me and I will be rereading it at some point. Do yourself a favor and read it if it’s a genre you enjoy!
Thank you so much to Saga Press for the eARC.

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones is raw, vicious and heartbreaking.
are you a monster because of the things you do? or are you a monster because of the things that happen to you?
or is the truth somewhere in the middle?
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is a hard book to read. it's hard to digest. hard to put down. hard to forget.
Stephen Graham Jones has written his masterpiece. a tale of history built on blood and suffering, a history that was buried and silenced. a history that cries out from the very earth from which it was buried.
the things we were taught in school were not the things that happened in the settling of the West.
Good Stab tells how his people were slaughtered and the horrific revenge he extracts from those who he perceives as guilty.
his revenge is maniacal and one for the ages.
5 stars out of 5.
highly recommended.

A slow-burn, gore-filled tale set against the back drop of the historical horrors that were committed against native people. A vampire on a quest for vengeance against those who partook in a massacre against the Blackfeet tribe. Gorgeous prose, complicated characters, and a thought-provoking perspective on the colonization of the indigenous people of North America.

Following in the footsteps of Anne Rice's "Vampire Chronicles," Stephen Graham Jones offers a blood-curdling expansion of vampire lore set in 1912 Montana. Through a slow-burn historical epistolary style, readers are immersed in the tragic tale of revenge of Good Stab. Graham Jones methodically develops his characters, ensuring a horrifyingly impactful payoff for those who persevere the story’s slow pacing. Fans of Graham Jones and other classic vampire tales will delight in unique carnage of Good Stab’s tale; but newcomers may struggle with the tediousness of the journey.

dnf - writing style not for me. I have enjoyed some SGJ books in the past such as the only good indians. the mix of the historical setting and extremely descriptive writing style makes it hard for me to get drawn in

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is a historical fiction novel that weaves the genocide of Native Americans and the ravaging of their land into a horror story with a vampire seeking out revenge.

In the American west, 1912, the diary of a Lutheran priest is found. Inside he dutifully records his encounters with Good Stab, who recounts his life as a vampire seeking revenge in the fields of the Blackfeet reservation.

When I heard the premise of this book I was absolutely sold. I have been diving more into the horror genre and was excited to pick this one up.
It has Interview with a Vampire during the Westward expansion vibes.

Unfortunately, this one just didn't quite work for me and ultimately I did not finish it at 50 percent. With the prose, I found it difficult to get through and often found myself having to reread the paragraph I just read. And before I knew it, I would be dozing off. I understood what was happening, but it took me twice as long to read it and comprehend. I did find myself thinking that perhaps this book was a bit beyond me.

I think I would have continued reading and finished it despite the prose being more elevated than what I typically read. However, I lost all interest after the scene with the sexual assault. While brief, it felt unnecessary and did not add anything to the story, beyond brutality.

The storytelling was done well, but I didn't find the story to be engrossing and I was rarely fully immersed, mostly due to the writing style. It is a slow burn and the book reads way more like a literary fiction novel with deep meanings.

I'd likely try another book from this author, but this one just wasn't for me.

TW: extreme depiction of gore, graphic violence, death of animals, death of children, rape

Thanks to NetGalley & Saga Press Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Huge thanks to Saga Press and Stephen Graham Jones for this gifted copy.

Okay, confession time: I’ve read SGJ before and wasn’t sure he was for me… but this book? This one sank its teeth in and didn’t let go. Sometimes giving an author a second chance is the best decision you can make. 🤩

🦬𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝:
This isn’t your typical vampire tale. “The Buffalo Hunter Hunter” is a gritty, blood-soaked blend of historical fiction 🏜️, gory horror 🩸, and Indigenous storytelling 🪶. Set against a 1900s Wild West backdrop, the diary-style format pulls you into the mind of a character you won’t forget.

The horror? Not supernatural in the usual sense. It’s rooted in real history, colonial violence, and Indigenous culture, making it feel all the more terrifying. 🪓🩸

🦬𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
🧛 Vampires, but not how you’ve seen them before
📓 Diary-style narration
🤠 Gritty Wild West setting
🪓 Blood, guts, & historical truths
🪶 Indigenous horror rooted in reality

🦬𝐇𝐨𝐰’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠?
It takes a second to adjust to the voice and style—but once I did, I was completely hooked. The tone feels so raw and authentic.

🦬𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭?
Absolutely YES. If you love vampires, Indigenous literature, or horror that cuts deeper than just scares—this one’s for you.

🖤 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟:
Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Cherie Dimaline, Paul Tremblay

𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐝: Bleak 🖤 | Brutal ⚔️ | Reflective 🤔

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞:
🧛 Unique vampire horror
📚 Literary horror with meaning
🏜️ Western gothic settings
🩸 Graphic, gritty scenes
✍️ Experimental formats

More like 4.5 stars. In the new novel by Stephen Graham Jones, horror rides the High Plains in the form of the Cat Man. He's an ancient, vampiric creature whose escape sets off a decades-long blood feud with Good Stab, a Pikuni Blackfoot man cursed into vampirism. Told through three interwoven narratives (modern-day academic Etsy, her ancestor Pastor Arthur in 1912, and Good Stab himself) this novel spans generations, geographies and genres. The narrative structure can feel a bit unwieldy at times, and certain sections drag, but Jones's ambition is undeniable and ultimately, this is a very good book. Easily among his best work after four consecutive, exhausting, slasher novels.

What sets this vampire story apart is its stunning realism. Good Stab isn’t a noble dude. He's a shape-shifting survivor, cursed to absorb the traits of what he feeds on, be it animal or human. His conflict with the Cat Man mirrors the broader violence inflicted on Indigenous people during the westward expansion. This includes the 1870 Marias Massacre, when Army troops killed nearly 200 unarmed women, children and elderly members of the Blackfeet Nation. This book is filled with supernatural horror occurring alongside the grim, traumatic history brought about by US colonization. SJG's signature mix of history, horror, and never-forget historical perspective is as sharp as ever.

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is a blood-soaked reckoning that reimagines the vampire myth through an Indigenous lens. Dealing with a few slow passages is well worth the effort for the excellence in this book.

This is a DNF for me. I was really enjoying at the beginning, but as I went I found a hard time following the narrative structure. While I’ve heard many love it, it just hasn’t hit me the way I was hoping for. Neither character is very likable and I just found myself not really caring about the fate of either. I will read more from the author though, because I can tell he is very talented. This story didn’t hit me right, I may try again in the future. Thank you for the ARC and I hope this book is a huge success from the author, I certainly feel my opinion is in the minority.

Wow. This is yet another unforgettable novel by Stephen Graham Jones. In my opionion, Buffalo Hunter Hunter is the most harrowing and compelling of his large bibliography. The book begins with a discovery of a journal, where Arthur Beaucharn, a colonial lutheran pastor becomes enmeshed with Good Stab, and we begin our agonizing journey into the dark confessional. The haunting nature of this novel is in the enevitable historical rememberance of the Indigenous genocides that were commited by the american colonialists, as we recount the life of Good Stab, an Pikuni man who's turned into the most grotesue version of a vampire as he's on a hunt with his friends somewhere around the mid 1870's, leading into 1912 when he meets arthur.

The comedy lies within Arthur's self righteous pedantic rambling, as he talks of his hunger and his condemnation of the Pikuni people. He's an idiot, a rasict, colonial waste of space. I hated him from the start, and its hilarious to watch him unravel.


The Napikwan (white people) and the Pikuni Tribe (Blackfeet) and

Currently, the two go-to authors for my regularly scheduled horror fix are Grady Hendrix and Stephen Graham Jones, and, while 2025 has been a mess in pretty much every other conceivable way, the year has already provided me with top-shelf entertainment from both.

January kicked off with Hendrix’s Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, a study of institutional misogyny and witchcraft as female empowerment set in the turbulent 1970s at a home for unwed mothers. Seemingly not be outdone when it comes to mixing and matching classic genre tropes with unexpected settings, Jones’s latest, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, is part historical diary, part Old West cowboy fiction, and part slow-burn revenge story.

When academic Etsy Beaucarne is contacted about the discovery of a journal penned by an unknown great-great-grandfather, she thinks the manuscript might be just the shot in the arm that her flagging career needs. Instead, she uncovers a startling tale packed to the rafters with generational trauma, cold-blooded murder, and hot-blooded vampirism.

The intrigue begins in 1912 when a peculiar figure appears at Arthur’s regular Sunday service just as a rash of equally peculiar murders—wherein the victims are found brutally skinned like discarded buffalo—grips his small Montana community. Though quickly revealed to be a Lutheran minister (and one prone to overindulgence at that), Arthur Beaucarne agrees to hear the confession of this stranger, a Blackfoot of the Pikuni band known as Good Stab.

Good Stab’s testimony seems like a slice of traditional pulp Western fare until it quickly devolves into an account of supernatural curses and ceaseless bloodlust. Accidentally infected by the Cat Man, an eldritch vampire held captive by the white settlers, Good Stab becomes boogeyman to friend and foe alike, learning that, if he feeds on animals, he becomes more animalistic and, if he feeds on the settlers, he too begins to take on their countenance.

Now damned to feed on Pikuni to simply remain Pikuni, Good Stab is met at every turn with misfortune, danger, and disappointment, and as his confession stretches on over subsequent Sundays, the skeptical Pastor Beaucarne finds its gory details easier and easier to believe as he recounts them in startling detail in his own journal.

Masterfully shifting between the voices of Arthur, Good Stab, and Etsy, Stephen Graham Jones weaves a compelling story that crosses the centuries without so much as breaking a sweat. His writing is further bolstered by framing the narrative alongside real-world events that shaped and continue to shape Indigenous American culture—in this case the near extinction of the American bison due to overhunting by Europeans and the 1870 Marias Massacre of the Piegan Blackfeet by the U.S. Army.

Both deliberately come into focus as Good Stab’s ancient past intertwines with Arthur’s own dark secrets, reverberating even to the modern day of granddaughter Etsy.

Vicious and visceral, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is Stephen Graham Jones at his best. With all his influences on display—from slasher cinema to Louis L’Amour frontier tales to the Native American Renaissance—Jones winks at more conventual undead narratives (like that other novel about interviewing a bloodsucker) while simultaneously decolonizing vampire lore.

If you’d asked me a few years ago about my favorite Stephen Graham Jones novel, I would’ve confidently said My Heart Is a Chainsaw. If you’d asked me last year, I reckon I would’ve amended that to I Was a Teenage Slasher. Right now, as much as I want to give The Buffalo Hunter Hunter the crown, I’m beginning to suspect that the only correct answer to which SGJ book is best is… well… the next one.

"What I am is the Indian who can't die. I'm the worst dream America ever had."
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is so hard to read. It feels like 50 hours of text. It's so much more than a vampire revenge novel. It's extremely dark. Stephen Graham Jones never met comedic relief he deigned to stoop to with the seriousness of his work. This novel is special and harsh and did I mention dark yet? It's so dark. Body horror, human and animal death, SA, and lots of grotesque murder. I will have nightmares about that frozen river scene. I learned a lot from this novel, but I didn't like reading it. I'm pretty certain SGJ is a genius. Five stars for cutting to my soul.

One of my absolute favorite books I’ve read this year! Historical horror at its finest! Jones grabs you by your face and pulls you right into the center of this universe he’s created. I loved it! All the stars!

What a spooky book. I think I would’ve liked it more if I wouldn’t have read it in the dark but I was scared for my life.

This was a gorgeous, haunting read. The monstrous horror blends with the true, historical horrors and with the overshadowing sense of tragedy in a way that will linger with the reader.

wow!!!!!! this book totally lives up to all the hype!!!! absolutely exceptional writing, plot, characters!!!

SGJ treads new water in this historical horror vampire novel and it doesn't disappoint! In current times, an academic learns that her 4x great grandfather's diary was found inside of a wall. In it, is the story of Good Stab, a Blackfeet whose nation was targeted in a massacre, where 217 of his fellow members lost their lives. The diary serves as Good Stab's confession to what happens after that event.

This book is a slow burn, which works perfectly for this story. We get a lot of background of Good Stab, the Lutheran minister to whom he confesses, and the history of the massacre. I was enthralled from the first page and was sad when it came to an end. This may very well be his best novel yet, although it seems he just keeps improving with every book he writes. Definitely recommend!

My thanks to Saga Press Stephen Graham Jones, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.