Imagine, just for a moment, that whilst renovating a building, you discover an old journal. Not just any old journal, but a journal from your very own great-grandfather. And contained within this journal, isn’t the thoughts of a turn-of-the-century gentleman, but a story within a story, a Russian dolls nest of horror and unimaginable events. A story of bloodshed, wanton and destructive. A tale both lucid and yet seemingly ethereal, charting the events of one man’s life across the plains of Montana, a man who has no place, rejected by both the white man and his own people. But this man’s story is more than just a tall tale; it’s one of revenge. And when seeking revenge, a vampire has all the time in the world to wait.

And so Stephen Graham Jones, author of the award-winning novels The Only Good Indians & The Indian Lake trilogy, is back with another masterpiece, this time tackling the vampire mythos and turning it into something wholly original and new. SGJ harkens back to the great vampire novels that came before it – Interview With A Vampire, Dracula, Carmilla – but using an epistolary narrative form to tell this tale spanning multiple generations, and over 2 centuries of violence. Etsy Beaucarne, one of our three storytellers and chroniclers, is of the present day, having found her great-grandfathers journal in the walls of a building that is being renovated. Desperate for academic success, she begins to transcribe this book. From here, and for the biggest portion of this novel, we then read the journal enters of her descendant, Arthur Beaucarne, a Lutheran priest, as in the spring of 1912, he is visited numerous times by a Blackfeet Native American, a man by the name of Good Stab. Good Stab’s story is then told through first person narration, as he “confesses” his frankly wild life to Arthur.

The interactions between Arthur & Good Stab, which are always seen from Arthur’s POV/writings, are tense from the beginning. I never knew which direction this was going to go, and to be honest, for the first 200+ pages of this story, I wasn’t sure what exactly was going on or why. This isn’t a bad thing; normally I wouldn’t like what feels so meandering, but SGJ’s writing is so immersive, and all three narrative throughlines are so unique from each other, it becomes so incredibly readable because you are fully encompassed in the journey. And as each layer of both Arthur’s & Good Stab’s stories unfold – when both characters pipes are full – you are pulled along for more. Etsy’s POV is very familiar and modern; Arthur has this almost romantic idea of Victorian style language, and he writes with a long-winded hand. Good Stab is wholly unique from anything I’ve experienced before, and his tale can be confusing (for me at least it was) to comprehend at first. This is book you cannot read fast. SGJ does not hold your hand. Instead, he wants you to dive deep straight in and work things out, puzzle them out until you have your own grip on the events being told between these pages.

Because this is a very deeply thematic novel. It demands to be read slowly, and each section becomes its own learning curve. It’s almost best to read one POV until it switches to another, then break there and think about what has just been said. This story explores the bloody takeover of Native peoples lands, of the violence found in colonial America, how this was built on the wholesale destruction of the lands, peoples, and nature held within. It’s a blood-drenched story of vengeance, of being an outcast, of metamorphosis. It’s also a story that you have to trust in the process. The writing is of a quality that will keep you reading anyway, but as you move through this book, each of these themes and more are hit upon in symbolism, in allegory, and come the final 150 pages of this story, SGJ smashes it into another gear. The final confrontation and closing moments of Arthur’s & Good Stab’s respective stories are up there with some of the best one-on-one face offs I’ve ever read.

Arthur & Good Stab are these two opposites, yet so incredibly alike, and their juxtaposition to one another only becomes more interesting as the book carries on. Good Stab, being a vampire (more on the vampire stuff shortly), dressed in his own set of priest blacks, has an insatiable thirst for blood, a curse that causes him afflictions to the suns light, all of which he cannot control. Arthur, however, has his own gluttony, but it’s entirely something within his control. Yet he always chooses not eat, and eat of the food given to him by his parish he will. I see them as two sides of the same coin.

Now, the vampire shit; I will keep it short as I want you to experience this yourself. This shit is so original and so cool! Vampirism here is truly a curse. There is no romanticism here; Good Stab suffers physically and emotionally. For him, there is no lust, no castle with thralls and a gorgeous lover. There is only rejection, from his own people, from the people who took his land, from everything. And what he must do to survive is pure horror. SGJ said that he wanted this to not feel like other vampires, and the vampire lore we have come to expect. Instead, it had to feel like Good Stab was just scraping by at all times, and that this curse was always there to cause pain. It’s heartbreaking, seeing what he goes through, despite the fact that some of the things he does are monstrous – justifiably or not, that is for you to decide.

Please note: this is not the story for those faint of heart. It is very gory, very bloody, and there’s lots of animal stuff in this one. It’s never gratuitous nor is it done for shock value. It is always in service to the themes, to the characters, to the story at large.

In short, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is a masterwork of revenge fiction, coated with one of the most original spins on the vampire I’ve ever experienced. Stephen Graham Jones writes with such confidence and immersion, never holding your hand in this book that is supposed to challenge you. It was my first SGJ novel, and it definitely is not going to be the last. The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is out now, and it’s going to be remembered as a classic.

Good Stab has a story to tell. So you had better listen.

With thanks to Titan Books for sending me an ARC and a finished copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am very grateful to have received such a wonderful book!

I enjoyed this book, it is very dense prose and the antiquated language from the 1812 narrative added to the dialect used by the Native American character made it quite difficult in places to work out what was going on. This made me slow down and really think about the writing, which once you get into it is really clever and careful. The story follows a Lutheran pastor who is approached by a mysterious Native American man who asks to confess his sins over a period of several Sundays. What emerges is a clever, historically accurate (minus the supernatural aspects) horror story. I couldn’t work out if the vampire lore or the genocidal aspects of the book were the more chilling part. The descriptions are visceral and haunting, the storyline dark and upsetting throughout. The modern day sections were jarring in comparison to the historical sections, they were a plot device that I didn’t think was necessary whilst reading but did tie things together at the end and gave context for the rest of the novel.

Blending the historical Marias Massacre and vampire mythology should be a powerful and horrifying story that should grip and appal the reader. I even pre-ordered the book in anticipation. Unfortunately, I found this was not the case for me.
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones is an admirable book, and the writer is brave to tackle the subject and infuse a vampire story within it. The problem I had with it was that there was never a moment I found it exciting or even a flicker of tension. Every character had a penance that had to be paid, and none of them were likeable. Usually, I do not have a problem with this, but I found that by the middle of the book, I stopped caring.
Even though this did not work for me, I would definitely recommend it to lovers of the slow-burn horror novel and for that truly bizarre end. I did not expect that.

Wow I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did!
Hooked from the first chapter even though the pacing I felt personally was slow, this is not distract anything from the story. It was so well written that it had you turning the page and wanting and needing to know how it would all play out!
This is a vampire novel with detailing of Native American culture following the journey of a manuscript.
This book most definitely hits you with all the emotions! Obsessed

This was one of my most anticipated horror reads of the year and I was enthralled throughout the full book..
I enjoyed how this was based on true events but these were events I was not fully aware about and shocked me while reading about this.

Stephen Graham Jones knows how to tell a story. He really immerses his reader into the world he's created, and being a horror/thriller writer, it really ups the ante. Reading his work isn't just reading a book but a whole visceral experience. Though, I don't even think its fair to just call him a horror author... he doesn't just write gore and jump scares for shock value, he tells heavy, painful, brutal stories that confront a real history that is just as heavy, painful, and brutal.

I can't understate how powerful his stories are. You are going to feel uncomfortable, there are going to be things that are hard to read, but you will never regret picking up a SGJ book.

This was such a great reimagining of a vampire story. Including historical massacre and folk horror through Native American experience really helped ground the book in what almost felt like a story a group would tell around a campfire. I can't wait to read more from the author!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

3.5 stars.

Overall, this was not my favourite Stephen Graham Jones. But i found it incredibly creative and well thought out, I found that a lot of the story building went over my head, this would be a great book to listen to, so I might re-read it with the audiobook once it is released. As always Stephen Graham Jones has an impeccable writing style and his mind always produces wonderful books.

I am obsessed with Stephen Graham Jones’ writing. He is easily one of my instant buy authors and the Buffalo Hunter Hunter is further proof that Jones knows horror. I adored the unflinching look on colonial America, particularly needed with the current climate. A stark reminder of who are the real immigrants when it comes to America. I also adored the introduction of a native American vampire tale. It’s violent, dark and unflinching.

This isn’t some Twilight style tale but a tale of brutality, survival, massacres and violence. The writing, as always with Jones, is what sets this above the rest. Beautiful and barbaric at the same time, Jones never flinches away from the horror. A gripping tale that will keep you reading till the very last page.

As always thank you to Titan Books for the advanced copy to review, my reviews are always honest and freely given.

This is my first read from this author and I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the setting and descriptions within this book. It’s split into a 1912 segment and a small 2012/2013 segment. I definitely preferred the 1912 main story more. This book was a wild ride! It’s old America meets vampires and I loved this aspect. I definitely recommend this one it is so different from anything I’ve ever read. My only qualm is it felt too long at some parts but still worth the read!

I love Stephen graham Jones' books and this time it wasn't different. It's been some days since I finished reading and I was still processing. This one has a different pace, and took me some time to read (not the book's fault, I've been too distracted for some time now). Great characters, I'm always amazed how he writes people that get stuck with you for a long time after reading. To me, he reinvented the genre with this one (when you think this can't be done in a fresh way).

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to this early. Review has been posted on Waterstones and Goodreads.

Dnf

Thank you Titan Books & Stephen Graham Jones for this read.

I really struggled with this book. I found that it was hard for me to keep up with or that I was not as engaged as I usually am. Unfortunately this book wasn't for me which I'm so disappointed about as this was one of my MOST anticipated reads. I will still pick up everything that SGJ writes but this book just was not my style.

✨ Review ✨ The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones; narrated by Shane Ghostkeeper, Marin Ireland & Owen Teale

Thanks to Titan Books, Simon and Schuster Audio and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

This has some of my favorite narrative structures in fiction -- nested narratives, multiple POVs and timelines, and complex storytelling. This historical fiction - alternates between 1912 Lutheran pastor’s journal entries & his transcription of Good Stab, a Blackfoot man’s life story. It's definitely a slow burn, but I loved leaning into the brilliant writing with smartly crafted voices of the different POVs.

I loved that this was an Indigenous vampire story that grapples with complexities of identity, assimilation, and protection of one’s people. I won't give anything away here but the things that Good Stab struggles with and certain conditions of his vampirism made this something really fascinating. I loved this anticolonial take on vampires and horror!

A big shoutout to the historical research and the great research of historians utilized here. There's something really special about a vampire novel that still preserves historical integrity! ❤️

This is somehow my first SGJ and I'll certainly be back for more!

🎧 I don't think I could have started with the audio - it took me almost half the book to really get into the different voices. I found myself having to do a lot of backtracking at first - figuring out names, complex language etc. However, I started listening at about 40-50% and then just absolutely couldn't put it down. This one I think is best to start with your eyes - pairing with the audio even at first.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: horror + historical fiction
Setting: primarily late-19th / early 20th-century Blackfoot land
Length: 15 hours 28 minutes
Reminds me of: Lone Women by Victor LaVelle
Pub Date: March 18, 2025

Read this if you like:
⭕️ horror
⭕️ Indigenous POVs
⭕️ complex reflection on "frontier" conflicts
⭕️ buffalos and Indigenous culture

Stephen Graham Jones does it again! His way with words, and especially in building an atmosphere, is second to none. This was a fantastic read from start to finish and I can't recommend it enough!

5/5 stars! This author is so talented at weaving real-life history and paranormal horror elements together. He has done it again in "The Buffalo Hunter Hunter." In this book we meet a Montanan priest tasking himself with journalling the escapades and stories of a vampire. This book was hard to sit with at times, but it was fully intentional. What a masterpiece.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a readers copy of this title. My reviews never contain spoilers and are freely given.

I love, love, love this book! A mix of horror and a portrayal of how European people decimated the world and culture of the Native Americans. A story of the consequences of the actions of a few men, the unintentional creation of a monster set on revenge for atrocities committed against his people and culture. This is not to be missed.

Horror on every level, from squirming gore to colossal historical injustice, with a good side helping of ambiguity - it would be easy to write this book with Good Stab as an avenging hero, but here he is a brutal monster. It’s just that pretty much everyone else is worse. Not always an easy read, but a very good one.

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones is a chilling dive into history, trauma, and the haunting legacies of the American West. We begin in 2012 with Etsy Beaucarne, a struggling academic in her early 40s, fighting for tenure at a university. When a long-lost journal from her great-great-grandfather, Lutheran Priest Arthur Beaucarne, is discovered on a construction site, Etsy sees an opportunity to unlock a narrative that could solidify her academic career. Little does she know, the journal will also unlock a dark chapter of American history.

Arthur’s journal entries, written in 1912, unfold as a quiet but intense confession — a reflection on guilt, grief, and a desperate need for justice. Through his diary, we witness his unsettling conversations with Good Stab, a Blackfeet man whose recounting of the past blurs the lines between history, myth, and memory. As the priest listens, a disturbing tale unravels, revealing a world where the supernatural and the horrors of history intertwine, leaving readers with an eerie sense that something darker than just time is at work. At the heart of this confession lies the brutal slaughter of 217 Blackfeet left dead in the snow.

That number isn’t just part of the fiction. It mirrors the real-life Marias Massacre — an 1870 attack where U.S. soldiers killed hundreds of Blackfeet people, most of them women, elders, and children. Jones doesn’t wave a flag at the history, but it lingers behind every page, fueling the horror with something deeper than fangs or folklore. The violence, the aftermath, and the ongoing legacy of that massacre shape much of the narrative and the unsettling events that unfold in the journal.

As Good Stab’s story unfolds, the supernatural elements creep in, creating a sense of dread that intertwines with the brutal history of westward expansion and the deeply embedded ideology of 'Manifest Destiny.' Jones masterfully blends the horror of the supernatural with the very real, harrowing history of violence against indigenous peoples, showing how the past continues to haunt the present in unyielding ways. The idea that some horrors — those rooted in violence and injustice — may never truly fade is a key theme that runs throughout.

Jones masterfully layers these two narratives — Etsy’s present-day quest to uncover her family’s dark past and Arthur’s journal entries detailing the brutal history of the Blackfeet nation — to highlight the long-lasting effects of colonialism and the unresolved wounds of violence against indigenous peoples. The horror here isn’t about monsters stalking the plains; it’s about the monsters created by history, trauma, and a thirst for justice that transcends generations.

If you're into historical horror that blends supernatural elements with hard-hitting commentary on the effects of colonialism, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter will keep you hooked. It’s a layered, thought-provoking read that dives deep into the traumas that continue to shape the American landscape today.