This is my first Nat Cassidy book and I'm counting it as a success even if at first I wasn't really sure how to feel about it. 3.5 stars.

At first, I thought this would be a werewolf book, but the werewolf element is barely even there. It's more about daddy issues and facing your fears with some amazing horror imagery. The writing is simple yet gripping, and I was entertained throughout. I just wasn't amazed, and I expected to be, but I'm leaving this book with a good impression and a desire to read Nestlings and Mary.

The audiobook narration is great and the narrator did a good job at conveying emotions and changing her voice when it suited. It was also cool to listen to Nat Cassidy read the author's note!

Nat Cassidy has been writing great books for a while, of course, but When the Wolf Comes Home knocks it out of the park. Equal parts terrifying and thrilling, Nat creates a wholly enthralling story that runs headlong into chaos and danger and pulls the reader along with him. The titular wolf is hunting for his son, who has hidden himself away with the help of Jess, a struggling actress who didn't ask for any of this mess, but can't turn her back on this five-year-old who might be more powerful than he seems.

This felt so reminiscent of 80s King, with magical boys, relentless monsters, and an everyday person just trying to stay alive one more day. Really enjoyable, with an underlying poignancy that lingers.

Wow. Wow. Creature feature meets grief horror. This book was terrifying. Emotional. Tense. It kept me on my toes and I was second guessing what was actually happening throughout. Also make sure you read the authors note at the end as it really explains a lot and you’ll get all emotional again. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time.

This was the perfect slump-buster, it was a very quick read, highly entertaining, and kept me guessing till the end. I was very impressed with where Cassidy went with it and how he handled the concept of coping with fear. This is the third absolute winner for me from Cassidy and I absolutely can’t wait for what he comes up with next.

He writes such captivating horror stories! And this his newest novel was freaking perfection.
It’s dark, macabre and pretty damn creepy but it also had a really unique plot and a main character that I thought was so interesting.
Quick paced and pulse-pounding, this horror novel captures the reader's attention and refuses to let go.
This is a clever, fun, well-developed tale to add to your horror collection.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

I’ve read all of Nat Cassidy’s books and I’m consistently blown away by his ability to take a real life experience or a relatively simple premise and turn it into the most entertaining, memorable, and terrifying story I’ve read. Each of his books conjure a specific memory – like, being unnerved anytime my shower curtain was closed after reading MARY or regretting having a house with so many windows while reading NESTLINGS – and WHEN THE WOLF COMES HOME won’t be an exception.

As one of my auto-buy authors, I went into this book completely blind though I’m not sure if any synopsis could have adequately prepared me for what I read. It started strong, and though there were a few chapters that made me wonder if this would be a rare miss – some of the sudden tonal shifts and special effects didn't quite land for me – by the end I was pleasantly proven wrong. WHEN THE WOLF COMES HOME is so different from anything I’ve read before, with themes that are heavy but handled with care and elements that feel like big risks that push the boundaries of this genre. His talent is undeniable and I can't wait to read whatever he comes up with next.

There has been so much buzz about this book and I’m here to tell you - it’s worth the hype.

Be prepared: this is a horror novel with gore. There’s a page of trigger warnings provided by the author at the beginning. If you’re able to get past that, When The Wolf Comes Home is an adrenaline-fueled, emotionally-driven, Twilight Zone-ish story. This is horror with heart. I went into the book not reading the blurb, trusting that author Nat Cassidy would not do me wrong; I suggest you do the same. When The Wolf Comes Home is a wild ride worth taking! I already know it will be one of my top (if not top) horror novels of the year. Mr. Cassidy, well done 🏆

P.S. Be sure read the author’s “Afterword.”

Thank you for the opportunity to read in advance!

Nat Cassidy has done it again! When the Wolf Comes Home was a wild ride full of the most unhinged terrors and deep emotions. Nat is an auto-read author for me, so I didn't so much as read the blurb before diving in. I expected a werewolf story and got that and so much more. The turn this book took was the absolute best surprise. If I had to pick two favorite things:
1) The bits with the weasels and the toon-man. I think that was the only movie to actually ever give me nightmares, and those scenes in the story worked SO WELL, especially on the tail end of the absolute social panic from the preceding events.
2) Jess's response to the boy was so well-written. I don't have children, but I could absolutely see myself responding the same way in this situation. Her feelings throughout the book felt so real. I loved her as the protagonist.

Read this if you wanna have a great time and also be forced to feel things.

Oh man this was wild! I thought things were going to go a certain way, but was pleasantly surprised at how it all started to shake out. Without giving too much away, I love when a book doesn't just rely on "because I said so" to explain bizarre things. When there is a legit reason for things, it makes me a million times more invested. Add to it, Jess is a very sympathetic main character, especially because she is just an average person, living her mundane life when everything goes off the rails. She could be any of us, which makes it that much easier to put ourselves in her shoes. And then when there is a kid involved, it creates all kinds of mixed feelings!

I also love how the author delved into other issues like trauma and loss and grief, even in the middle of all the chaos. It really helped to make the story feel well-rounded, and like the reader could connect with all the characters- even those you kind of didn't want to feel sympathetic toward. And the ending was absolute perfection, there were absolutely mind-blowing twists and turns, and whew. I agree with Tammy when she said "Nat Cassidy’s best book yet". Extra especially when you take the author's note into consideration, how can an author make me love the author's note almost as much as the book itself?! Anyway, you do not want to miss out on this one, that is for certain!

Bottom Line: Blending horror and emotion and amazing characters, this is one of my favorite books of 2025!

What is this author's fascination with bathrooms? At the beginning of the book, readers are plunged into a dirty bathroom and held inside for two whole chapters while the main character reminisces about her life. I don't know what it was about the main character, but she made me cringe with her forgetfulness and life story. I know this is dubbed a horror, but the story line was too unbelievable for my taste and I didn't like any of the characters.

HOLY COW. I am absolutely speechless at this book. This was an absolutely incredible read. Cassidy is a genius and this is a masterpiece.

I loved every single second of this book and found myself immediately wanting to re-read it when I finished. Speaking of when I finished it, let me tell you the way I was sobbing and simply could not stop. I'm not much of crier, but I absolutely lost it.

This is a gorgeous tale of fear and the ways it controls us. But it's also about family, friendship, trust and love. This is my favorite book of the year so far and I truly cannot imagine anything topping it.

All the stars. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Wow! This was my first read by this author, and I'm immediately adding their backlist to my TBR. This book uniquely melded some great horror tropes and kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the multiple POVS, but I got more attached to Jessa and the initially nameless boy she rescues and goes on the run with. The pacing was great with persistent danger, and I enjoyed how it all played out.

Jess is a struggling actress who finds her apartment complex under attack one night, after a young, scared boy shows up outside. Suddenly on the run from the boy's father and law enforcement, Jess must outrun the savagery following her and protect her young charge - at all costs.

This was a fun, bloody riot. There is gore galore but also a lot of heart, as the book examines the effects of child abuse and neglect and how that shapes us. Some of the scenes are laugh out loud funny and some had me feeling emotional. Cassidy's writing is accessible and he makes Jess a fully-formed, perhaps overly sarcastic leading lady.

This book is objectively good, but I just couldn't immerse myself in it fully. That's got to be a "me problem" but I still enjoyed myself. This was my first Nat Cassidy novel (I know, I'm a fraud) and I will definitely be reading his other books.

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CW gore, death, child abuse

Thank you Tor Nightfire for my free ARC of When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy — available TOMORROW, Apr 22!

» READ IF YOU «
❤️‍🔥 are a sucker for horror stories with heart
🐺 have ever been accused of having an overactive imagination
📝 love when the author's note makes the book even better

» SYNOPSIS «
I recommend going into this book relatively blind, so I'll only provide the briefest of synopses: Jess stumbles upon a runaway little boy on night, and her world changes drastically in an instant. Running from danger together, Jess will be forced to wonder if her reality will ever be the same again.

» REVIEW «
This book blew me away. I didn't know what to expect, really, but what I got was one of my favorite reads of the year! Nat's characters are always really impactful for me, but the ones in this particular story will not leave my brain for a loooong time. And don't get me started on the author's note!!! I recommend never ever skipping an author's note in any book, but this is one case where you actually MUST read it—no exceptions.

This book continues my favorite trend in recent horror stories, which I think we're calling "horror with heart," but which actually just means they leaves me a sobbing mess at the end. I'd be surprised if anyone could read this book without getting emotional by the closing few chapters. And? Just when you think it's over, you get hit with a concept that kind of gave me an existential crisis. An amazing piece of fiction that I think everyone, including non-horror readers, should pick up this year.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much for giving me an arc of this! This book was spectacular. It was emotional, terrifying. I cried and I was also terrified. I will now side eye every Halloween mask. I did not expect the deep level of emotional trauma that this touched. It was just amazing.

this was such a wild ride!

I recieved an ARC from netgalley and went into it pretty blind. I sort of assumed it was a werewolf book--but it's even BETTER.

I don't even know how to describe it. I agree with the other reviews that say this has very 80s pulpy paperback vibes. It is a terrifying "chase" story with a supernatural/sci-fi element that I really enjoyed. It's very much about "daddy issues" but not in the annoying way that I hate--Nat did this in a way that made my heart ache (in good ways and bad) for both of our main characters. It is also a book about fear, about how your inner most fears can overtake you if you don't overcome them, and idk, I kinda loved the whole message.

(it did make me cry and that doesn't often happen so, there's that too). I've loved Nat's other books too and I think this one has officially secured him in the ranks of my auto-read authors :)

Title/Author: Nat Cassidy

Page Count: 304 pages

Publisher: Tor Nightfire

Format: NetGalley copy

Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: Mary, Nestlings

Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/9781250354341

Release Date: April 22nd, 2025

General Genre: Horror/Thriller

Sub-Genre/Themes: Child abuse, LA/Hollywood/Actors, domestic drama, family, found family, boys, strangers, werewolves, monsters

Writing Style: Fast pace, chase-based plots

What You Need to Know: Jess, a young actress waiting tables in LA, finds a five-year-old boy hiding in the bushes outside her apartment. She takes him in only to discover he is terrified of a monster who turns out to be the boy's father. After an encounter quickly turns violent, they run for their lives and the monster hunts them

My Reading Experience: Nat Cassidy is quickly becoming a name to watch in horror fiction. His debut novel, Mary, is a unique homage to Stephen King’s Carrie, while Nestlings leaned into the domestic terror of Rosemary’s Baby. With When the Wolf Comes Home, Cassidy showcases his versatility again—this time delivering an emotionally driven story that, strangely enough, gave me Who Framed Roger Rabbit vibes. It's a strange combo, I know.
A compelling "found family" bond is at the heart of this novel, with the relationship between Jess and the unnamed boy. Their instant bond is tender and sweet, especially in how Cassidy explores themes of abandonment and complicated "daddy issues." He handles these with a unique sensitivity and depth that many readers will find moving. But personally, the story’s tonal shifts left me feeling on the outside looking in--I could not get invested. Parts of this book have goofy or cartoony special effects that were off-putting to me and took me out of the narrative.

Final Recommendation: Perfect for readers who enjoy a fast pace, violence and gore turned all the way up, daddy-issues themes, and high-stakes chase-plots. Cassidy’s talent is undeniable, and I’ll still be following his work. This one just wasn’t quite my flavor of nightmare.

Comps: Mongrels by SGJ, Night's Edge by Liz Kerin, The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig, The Fearing by John F. D. Taff

When the Wolf Comes Home was my first Nat Cassidy, and I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it was nothing like what I got. It was one of my most anticipated releases for the year, and it was so insanely good, I loved every moment.
We started with a bang and basically never let up. Although there are truly horrifying, spine chilling moments, the real horror of this book is about facing your fears, whatever they may be.
I did guess the twist fairly early on, but it still made it no less haunting and anxiety inducing. It may have made it even more so.
This was such a mind blowing, introspective, surprisingly emotional read and I’m now a big fan of Nat Cassidy’s writing.

Thank you so much to Tor Nightfire for providing me with a digital review copy via NetGalley.
Publication date 4/22/25

This book is so amazingly traumatic with all the feels. I sobbed for about fifteen minutes after. I still need to collect my thoughts for this entirely but just know you need to read this.

Having been thoroughly captivated by Nat Cassidy's previous novels like Mary and Nestlings, I went into "When the Wolf Comes Home" with incredibly high expectations, eager for more of his unique brand of character-driven, literary horror. And I have to say, Cassidy delivers yet again, though perhaps with a slightly different, more propulsive energy this time around which I found genuinely thrilling.

The core strengths I admire so much in his work are all powerfully present here: the stellar, insightful writing; the deeply relatable characters thrown into horrific circumstances; and the intelligent exploration of complex emotional themes simmering just beneath the surface horror. I was immediately invested in the protagonist Jess's story – the struggling actress suddenly forced into a protective role for a runaway child ("Kiddo") after a violent encounter. Their developing bond, forged in terror and desperation as they go on the run, felt incredibly authentic and genuinely moving amidst the escalating nightmare.

Cassidy masterfully balances the brutal, intense horror elements – and this book certainly doesn't shy away from violence or gore – with moments of profound emotional insight, particularly examining fear, trauma, and the unexpected strength found in desperate connections. While perhaps faster-paced than some of his earlier work, I felt the relentless momentum perfectly served this specific 'on the run' narrative, amplifying the stakes and the constant sense of danger.

Overall, "When the Wolf Comes Home" absolutely solidified my admiration for Nat Cassidy's writing. It's thrilling, insightful, deeply emotional, and packs a considerable punch, managing to be both a white-knuckle horror ride and a thoughtful character study. Another outstanding, must-read novel from him, in my view.