I went into this pretty blind so I wasn't expecting how dark and disturbing this was. I think "wow" and "what the heck" were the two phrases that went on loop in my mind while listening to this via audiobook. The narrator did a fantastic job and fit the character well. She helped me feel immersed in the story and with this being a short book, I was able to get through it in just a few hours. If you are into female rage (I mean, who isn't really?), dark humour, and some gory moments then I would definitely recommend picking this book up. If you are on the fence, please look up trigger warnings before continuing.

“At 8:30 sharp breakfast is removed, as is my will to live…” Oh my, the sarcastic, dry humor throughout this story is such a treat. This book is wicked in the most delectable way. We follow along with Winifred Notty, an unhinged governess who commits countless atrocious acts without any hint of passion. No, her madness is cold and calculating, hitting a psychopathic vein reminiscent of the similarly named American Psycho. Unlike Patrick Bateman, however, our protagonist is a woman eking out an existence within the staunch propriety of Victorian England, and in a subservient occupation at that. Throughout the novel, Winifred occasionally breaks the fourth wall, making knowing glances to the reader with the assumption that we should, naturally, understand her felonious behavior. Because, how could we not!

I thoroughly enjoyed Feito’s writing style, and look forward to reading more from her. Her prose is smooth and vibrant, and the humor is expertly done, but be warned that the humor is dark, dark, dark, and won’t be for the faint of heart. There is also a satisfying twist toward the end that I did not expect so am almost hesitant to mention (don’t read any spoiler reviews before you finish!)

This isn’t the type of horror that will leave you afraid to turn off the lights, but the protagonist’s casual handling of unspeakable acts will definitely disturb you, and the body horror is plentiful. Horror fans who enjoyed Delilah Dawson’s Guilliotine, Stephen King’s Carrie, or C.J. Leede’s Maeve Fly will particularly appreciate Victorian Psycho.

I am reviewing the audiobook, so would also like to mention that the narrator, Anna Burnett, has a lovely, even cadence and a pleasant voice. She did a nice job of creating a clear separation of characters without any distracting vocal nuances. Her accent was perfect for the “role” of Ms. Notty, and I felt like I was really hearing the character tell her story.

Thank you NetGalley, Virginia Feito, and RBMedia for sending me this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

An interesting riff on subversive Victorian feminist literature, if a bit too sensational for my taste.

I really loved Virginia Feito’s Mrs March, which is the same style of story but benefitted greatly from a far lighter touch. I think it’s tough to make spree killing funny, which is why I struggled a bit more with this one.

It’s not that some of the humor isn’t good (I did laugh out loud at the horrible dinner guests “There’s a chimney sweep stuck in our chimney!”), but that the gleeful murder spree at the end felt like a bit much and really could have used a bit of subtlety and discernment on the part of the killer.

To Feito’s credit, there’s no confusion about the farcical nature of this. She’s taken a picture she out of the Bret Easton Ellis playbook (if that wasn’t already obvious from the title) and gone with the sensory overload, pure sensationalism approach. Not my personal preference, as gore for gore’s sake never works for me even if it’s clearly somewhat tongue in cheek, as is the case here.

This was very short, and I think that was a good call given the material, and the writing is certainly sharp. I preferred Mrs March significantly over this one, but it’s also worth a read.

it fells like we're all waiting for Christmas, which is at the end of the book. And before that nothing happens, except some gruesome and deranged scene. I tried to picture Winnifred as a character with some personality or background that would lead her to be a murderer. But with no success.
i don't understand.

thank you net galley for the copy

Ok WOW I thought all of the 5 star ratings might be a bangwagon everyone was hopping on... Nope. This is just as good as everyone is saying. I will be thanking my peer pressure-er's profusely.
I'm learning I'm VERY picky when it comes to horror (not in the sense that I think others are objectively bad, I just know they aren't for mmeee personally), but this checked all the boxes I didn't even know I had. & bonus points for hilarity, just the right amount. I am so so so excited to have given this a chance.

Editing to add: I was lucky enough to be able to listen to the audiobook in advance as well, and narrator Anna Burnett does a fantastic job. If you like thaking the route, I'd recommend print & audio in tandem. Hearing how Victoria intended this to sound reminded me of doing the same w Clean by Alia Trabucco Zerán.
Victorian Psycho also reminds me a little bit of My Men by Victoria Kielland translated by Damion Searls, though I'm not sure if that's simply recency bias.

{Thank you bunches to Virginia Feito, W. W. Norton & Company, Liveright, Anna Burnett, RB Media and NetGalley for the DRC & ALC in exchange for my honest review!}

I've been seeing some buzz about this one and it's all justified! I absolutely loved this. Think Meave Fly with Victorian sensibilities, I thought that the voice of Anna Burnett was perfect as the narrator, she captured the tone of the protagonist so well. I definitely recommend this on audio.

Ever wonder how things would have been if Mary Poppins was a psychopath? Look no further!

This book was a crazy ride. Creepy, gory, enthralling.

I received an audio copy and the way you can just picture this narrator's face being deadpan the whole time. Perfection.

Super quick read, I couldn't put it down.

I finished reading this book a few days about and as soon as I got approved for the audiobook I knew it was time to reread it again! I had such an amazing time with the audio,I would highly recommend this one to new audiobook listeners. Thank you NetGally and publisher for access to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Wild novella. The type of story that moves so fast and goes to so many bonkers places, that your mouth just sort of hangs open.

Thanks to Liveright and NetGalley for an advance audiobook copy

This book really didn’t work for me. I found myself confused through some of it, as I really don’t think there was much plot development. I was unable to connect with the characters. I listened to the audio, and the narrator did an excellent job.

2.5 stars!

I don't know how to feel about this one. It feels both new and also deeply done-before.

Winifred is the newest governess at Ensor House, but she comes to the job with ghosts at her back and blood in her past. As the house and its occupants begin to rot from the inside out, deaths pile up and secrets are revealed. This is a horror novel...maybe? It might be a humorous satire. Maybe both. I definitely found it more funny than scary but not so funny that I was sure that was the intention. Its title alluding to American Psycho would lead you to believe it's a satire with societal commentary but I'm not sure where the commentary was in Victorian Psycho. The novel no doubt reveals dark parts of the Victorian era but that's not really challenging any public beliefs about the time period. The main character often had these morbid observations (e.g. "The dress was a lovely pink, like lambs' brains.") which just came off super cheesy and heavy handed. I'm also just not entirely sure what happened at the end but I'm also not really sure I care.

Kind of a fun idea, I'm just not sure what it was supposed to accomplish.

Thank you to Virginia Feito and Recorded Books for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!

Happy reading!

Satirical, funny, descriptive, and horrific. Oh and the ending was brilliant.
I really recommend the audio. The narrator’s accent really drives in the timeframe and setting. She also delivers the story nonchalantly which really makes the story even more fun

Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito is a dark, twisted journey into the mind of Winifred Notty, who was recently hired on to be the governess of Andrew and Drusilla Pounds at the dysfunctional Ensor House. The novel is brimming with biting sarcasm and vivid imagery, making it a gripping and unsettling read.

Winifred's wit and sharp observations provide an unsettling contrast to the eerie, grotesque environment she’s trapped in, as her past rises to the surface. I did have to suspend belief a little while reading, but it didn't bother me as I was engrossed in the story. I listened to this as an audiobook and Anna Burnett played Winifred to a T. While this feminist slant revenge story may not be for the faint of heart, it sure was a wild ride. Overall, it was a fast paced book but gave a slow burn of tension culminating in a macabre, yet fitting, finale that left a lasting impression.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Special thanks to @netgalley and @recordedbooks for the ALC.

What the actual heck did I just read? Props to Virginia Feito for writing a book that was simultaneously disturbing and engaging. Full of biting sarcasm and with no shortage of gore, VICTORIAN PSYCHO is hard to define. The writing is utterly gorgeous and fitting for the time period. You almost (almost!) forget you are reading a graphic horror novel. But, fans of gothic horror, do not despair, for Ms. Feito pairs her beautiful words with some of the most gruesome scenes imaginable.

This is a short book packed from cover to cover with meaningful action. It is a book that must be experienced so attempting to summarize the plot would not do it justice.

I have not spent time with actual psychopaths (at least, I hope not), but Anna Burnett’s narration is exactly what I expect a murderous governess living in Victorian England would sound like. Her gleeful, almost playful, narration belies the depth of depravity embodied by Winnifred Notty, the book’s main character.

If you are looking for an unconventional, unusual, bizarrely entertaining reading experience, look no further than VICTORIAN PSYCHO. If you are the least bit squeamish, you may want to sit this one out.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for the advance listening copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

3.75 stars

How is one to possibly resist this horrifying cover and this amazing title?

As one might expect from that aforementioned title, this book features an aptly named Victorian psycho. Winifred is a governess, but she is no Jane Eyre. This character has a lot of thoughts and feelings - and participates in specific actions - that any typical person would consider utterly disturbing. While I'm grateful I won't ever interface with her in life, I'm thrilled I got to spend some time in her absolutely warped mind. This is all made even more appealing by the fantastic setting: GREAT sense of time and place here.

This is not a read for the delicate, but if there's a little darkness in you, you, too, may enjoy getting it out in a safe, vicarious manner!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Audio Review: I really enjoyed the narrator and felt that it brought the story to life. The voice of the narration fits perfectly with the character. Would recommend.

Review: What a wild ride. I would have never requested or picked this book up if a friend didn't encourage me too and I'm not really sure why that is. I loved this. If you have read the book Maeve Fly, you will enjoy this. If you are a fan of any of the following please consider picking this up.

*murderous women
* revenge
* dark humor and satire

Things to be aware of, there is extensive animal harm, body horror, very dark themes and gore. The author uses those moments to form characters and aspects of the story, it did not feel tasteless. The ending was like a set of fireworks, it was amazing. And the very last line is one you won't forget. I highly recommended this just make sure you've considered what I warned about above.

Victorian Psycho is a short novella so I will keep my review short too by saying WHEW. What a ride. I went in to this story without much research in to what it was actually about and, therefore, very little expectation and I think that may be the way to go. I loved Feito's writing, the Victorian feeling that is captured, and the gruesome, satirical passages. A really fun, short read. Anna Burnett absolutely nailed the audio narration, bringing this story to life in ways that exceeded my expectations.

Thank you RBMedia for the early copy in exchange for an honest review. Available Feb. 04 2025

This a fantastic Victorian horror story! This is a quick read that kept me on my toes as I read Winifred's past and present weaved together perfectly in stuff of nightmares!

I really loved that this book was from a single POV and gave a look into Winifred's thoughts. I found the description of a upper class Victorian family to be well written and transports the reader into Ensor House as they watch Winifred cause chaos. The entire time I kept thinking about the Lizzie Borden song!

I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the performance by Anna Burnett!

Winfred gives Lizzie Borden a run for her money in the best way possible. I absolutely loved the storyline of a ruthless, unapologetically evil Victorian woman—it’s so refreshing to see a female character fully embrace her desires without restraint. The blend of historical atmosphere and sinister intent made for an engrossing read. The narration was phenomenal, bringing every chilling moment to life. I’m eager to see what the author comes up with next!