Nat Cassidy once again gives us a unique twist on a classic trope in his third novel. This chilling and lingering horror thrives in how grounded and realistic it feels, despite a rather hairy foe. With a young boy in danger, our main character is determined to protect him at all costs. Narrator Helen Laser throw body and voice into this frantic paced chase for clarity, safety, and sanity.

Thanks to NetGalley, Tor Nightfire, and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook arc. I loved Nestlings, so I was excited to get into more from the author. Helen Laser was a solid choice for narration, and she embodied the main character well.

I went into this one completely blind. I didn’t read the blurb and even avoided seeing my fellow reviewers star ratings (let alone dodging reviews). The opening gripped me from the jump. A struggling actress just starting out turned late night waitress reminded me of Mary Jane in the second Spider-man movie. It differs from there as Jess is forced to deal with what comes her way by herself. A late night argument between neighbors and a strange naked man, a violent attack, a scared little boy, and an across country chase. Jess simply followed her instincts by saving him, but she might just live to regret it.

Of course with the cover and the first attack, I really thought I was buckling up for a werewolf novel. In a sense, it is, but then again, it also really isn’t. When I made it to the part in the hotel, where Kiddo is left alone watching tv, I was so surprised by the curveball the author threw that I actually thought it just might not be for me and maybe I needed to DNF. It bordered on goofy to me, and of course I truly had no idea what the hell was going on. But if you know me at all, you know I don’t usually DNF anything, and I’m once again glad I didn’t. Once you understand what’s happening, it all clicks into place.

This is a unique novel, and it’s certainly multilayered. It’s a child’s nightmare, it’s a family drama, it’s a body horror, it’s a reflection of what people see us as when we let our anger win, it’s a commentary on government testing even. Although the author didn’t focus much time on it, the testing on the boy’s father carried notes of Stranger Things—the boy almost becoming Eleven to my mind. The banter between Jess and the boy, and how it slowly turned to trust and familiarity, was really well done. And then of course with any adult and child on the run I always think of The Last of Us, and while this is drastically different, you’re still delivered a story that pulls at all the heartstrings by the end.

If you had the ability to believe something was true, and then make it so for the world, what would you do? World peace? End world hunger? World domination? Unlimited money, success, fire power? Even if you had the best intentions ever, could you really fix what’s been broken—especially when all of your fears, your shortcomings, become true as soon as you believe? I thought it was incredibly well done that at every turn, Jess continued to lose people. Anyone close. And even in her grief, nothing was truly the boy’s fault. While the implications are heavy, there’s such a well built note of hope by the end. It’s complex and confusing, but I suppose I chose to believe it was there. This one is definitely a thinker.

A riveting examination of the power of fear
Speculative horror at its finest, this story twists and turns into an unforgettable narrative of pain, grief, human connection, and regret. A healthy dose of gore and comic relief integrate seamlessly into the deeper themes to keep the narrative flowing to the culmination of horror at the end.
I highly recommend the audiobook as the narrator and narrator/author give the story a whole new dimension with their performances.

DNF. I personally could not get into this book. It felt like it was falling into a predictable narrative.

When the Wolf Comes Home was a super interesting read. I loved the character study and the writing felt propulsive. I'd read more from the author.

wow this book was totally nuts. a little bit graphic and intense at times but i couldn't put it down!!! check trigger warnings beforehand. 5/5 stars

This book grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go.

When the Wolf Comes Home is a dark, breathless blend of horror and thriller that opens at a full sprint—and somehow keeps picking up speed. It starts with a boy running for his life from a father whose rage turns him into something otherworldly. Enter Jess, a woman with her own demons, who can’t turn away from the terrified child who crosses her path. Together, they’re pulled into a violent, desperate road trip full of near-misses, gut-punch twists, and a creeping dread that never fully lets you breathe.

There’s something deeply human about the horror here—it’s not just monsters and shadows, it’s what happens when the people we should trust most become the thing we fear.

And let’s talk about the audiobook narration: it’s read by the author himself, and it’s phenomenal. Nat Cassidy doesn’t just read the story—he inhabits it. The voices, the urgency, the emotional spikes… it’s like eavesdropping on raw survival. It builds slowly, then it owns you. Just make sure you don’t have plans, because once you’re in, you’re in till the end.

This was my first Nat Cassidy novel—and I already know it won’t be my last.

A big thank you to NetGalley, Nat Cassidy and Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this fantastic audiobook!

In an attempt to catch up on my life—which was laughably behind even before I had surgery to get my gallbladder out two weeks ago—I am now reviewing one of my favorite books of the year so far. Reviewing favorite books is something I hate doing, but I foolishly accepted an ARC so now I have to anyway. I should have known this would happen, because I have literally given Nat Cassidy five stars every time I've read from him (four times so far; I haven't read his sci-fi podcast adaption book thingy yet).

When the Wolf Comes Home is a hard book to describe without giving things away. The most basic premise is that our main character, Jess, comes home from working a traumatic shift at the diner to find a little boy hiding in her bushes. It soon becomes apparent he's running away and hiding from his father, who soon shows up. A violent confrontation ensues, and Jess goes on the run with the little boy, who she now feels obligated to protect. And that is just the very beginning of the story. It will not go where you think it will go.

What's so fun about this story is that Cassidy is playing with a bunch of tropes and story structures that he grew up reading, but taking them in new directions or subverting them. From his Goodreads note about the book: "It's a little bit Twilight Zone, a little bit Dean Koontz, a little bit FIRESTARTER, a little bit IT, a little bit Ursula K. Le Guin, a little bit TERMINATOR 2, and a lotta bit gonna melt your face off." This is accurate. This book is scary, extremely unsettling, at times anxiety-inducing, and might give you existential dread.

As always with this author, make sure to read his Author's Note. He is so good at writing them, and giving context to the creation of the story you've just read. (The Author's Note is included in the audio, unlike many audio productions which leave that kind of thing out.)

The audiobook was really well put together, and I enjoyed Helen Laser as the main narrator (with some cameos by the author himself, who also reads the Author's Note).

I am so thankful to Macmillan Audio, Netgalley, and Nat Cassidy for granting me advanced access to this title before publication day. This was a harrowing tale that will resonate with me for some time.

Why am I crying during a horror novel? Again.


When the Wolf Comes Home is an action packed, scary, thrill ride that will keep you turning pages (or listening) until the very end. Honestly, go into this one as blind as possible. I had so much fun discovering this story and becoming that mean where math swirls around that ladies head.


This story is a cinematic chase through the Southwest with both parties increasingly desperate. I often found myself thinking, what would I have done. (The answer is more than likely perish). It’s nostalgic and heartfelt. A must read for horror fans, especially if you like a creature feature or the X Files/Twilight Zone.


The audio version is great. The narrator does a fantastic job. Highly recommend checking it out!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for my copy.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

Story: 🌟🌟🌟
Narration: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Overall: 🌟🌟🌟💫

When the Wolf Comes Home is a great horror story that is expertly narrated by Helen Laser. A struggling actress finds a mysterious boy in danger. She decides to help him, which leads to many horrors and shocks.

This would make a great movie and is the perfect Fall listen. Very fun and interesting.

ALC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I devoured this book in one sitting. The tension is relentless, and the creepy, surreal moments had me checking over my shoulder. Jess is a fantastic, believable heroine thrown into the deepest nightmare. The writing is tight, the pacing perfect, and the story hits all the right scary notes. Five stars all the way

Thank you to NetGalley, Nat Cassidy and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was good but different to what I generally read. It had a very 70 or 80s feel to it that I am typically not fond of, but I’ve read from Cassidy before & trusted he would see me through it & he did! I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of horror or of Nat Cassidy’s work.

Imaginative, brutal, and an emotional gut-punch, When the Wolf Comes Home packs a lot of provocative themes into its volume: father figure, growing up, and the concept of fear, yet it never feels overwhelming, and manages to weave together a roller coaster ride of a narrative, packed with endearing characters, fantastical set pieces, and outlandishly original gore.

Tonally this is an one-eighty from his previous novel Nestlings (an ominous, gothic tale with limited characters and a single location), When the Wolf Comes Home progresses like a 80s action horror film (think Near Dark or A Nightmare on Elm Street), where the characters are constantly on the move, with a collection of adrenaline-filled sequences. I love all the secondary characters in this story, Nat Cassidy crafts them to be sympathetic and likable despite their flaws, which makes their gruesome ends even more heartbreaking—did I mention this novel does not pull any punches?

An author's afterword is usually optional material,, but I highly recommend reading through it for When the Wolf Comes Home, as it provides an additional layer of personal context into the creation of this novel (and some of the anecdotes are just as impressive and moving as the fiction itself). Helen Laser's performance of the audiobook is excellent, and having the author narrate the character of 'the father' must have been a cathartic personal experience.

Nat Cassidy has had an incredible run thus far, from Mary, Nestlings, to When the Wolf Comes Home, each novel improves upon the previous one. and I'm in awe of his ability to write from such a personal place, yet producing work that is easily consumed by the masses as incredible storytelling with universal themes. It's now safe to say that Nat Cassidy is among my 'must-buy' authors.

4.25 ⭐️

Thank you netgalley & the publisher for gifting me this advanced listener copy.

Nat Cassidy is a fairly new author to me and im absolutely obsessed with everything he writes. This one was no exception!

Nat is very gifted at writing FMC’ and I’ve also found them to be really relatable and believable. This book was horrifying and very emotional. There were moments I was squirming, laughing, and damn near crying.

This is the 2nd audiobook I’ve listened to my nat Cassidy and i definitely recommend it! It adds so much depth to an already amazing story plus you get to listen to Nat read his afterward which is also one of my favorite parts of his books!

Thanks again for the ALC and can’t wait to read whatever else Nat writes

I approached this book with the hope of finding a suspenseful and thrilling read that I’d truly love. To my delight, it exceeded my expectations! The author skillfully weaves together elements of thriller, horror, suspense, and humor, creating a captivating narrative. The brisk pace keeps me on the edge of my seat, eagerly listening to the audiobook. The ending adds delightful twists to the plot, leaving me thoroughly satisfied. Even the author’s afterword is incredibly thought-provoking, encouraging me to reflect on the story long after I’ve finished it. Kudos to Nat Cassidy for crafting such a remarkable book! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it and am now even more excited to give suspenseful and thrilling stories another chance if they can match Nat’s writing prowess.

ALC/ Narration: 4/5
Book/ Overall Story: 4.5/5

Nat Cassidy, does it again!

I always recommend Nat Cassidy’s books and look forward to reading his afterwards. Sometimes I’m itching to read them before diving into the actual story. Though honestly, I’m so glad that I didn’t this time. I was lucky enough to have an ALC for this book and listened to it along with my library copy. You know I love an immersive read, and I 10/10 recommend an immersive read for this one. We’re on such a journey in this book and the narration captured every element perfectly. All those emotions of being in pursuit and on the run— I mean the child-like naivety, innocence, grief, guilt, and the FEAR! Chefs kiss! There’s also shifts in perspective and tone as the characters develop and growth that were also done very well! The characters go through a lot and the narrators portray those emotional changes in ways that further engaged me in the story. Though it’s not hard to feel immersed into this read! It’s a perfectly paced adventure of fear, discovery, and change.

Cassidy masterfully incorporates so many personal elements into his books. He consistently offers up so many interesting scenarios and multifaceted characters that readers can relate to, root for, and despise. It’s no different in When the Wolf Comes Home with our FMC, Jess. She’s a struggling actress working at a diner, unsure of what this next phase of her life will be. At work she finds herself struggling to process the news of her father’s passing, unaware how to grieve a man she never really knew. As Jess is finishing up her shift, she knows she has one final task before she can head home. Frustratingly cleaning the diner bathroom, Jess lands herself in a situation she never saw coming. As she was talking herself into an anxious fit Jess realizes that she has been pricked by a needle🤢. Ooooof! Talk about a nightmare🫠! Obviously frustrated and consumed by the possibilities of what could happen, she rushes to her car to find care. Instead, as if drawn to it, she ends up on her way home. It’s upon entering her apartment that Jess hears something strange. Well…. someone. She unexpectedly finds a young boy. Surprising even herself, Jess takes the young boy in. It’s only further to her shock when she notices a mysterious naked man in the courtyard of her apartment building. It doesn’t take long for Jess to realize that man is looking for the young boy she’s currently watching. Even worse, he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get this boy back. In this moment Jess knows that nothing will be the same moving forward and everything that can go wrong, does. Jess brings the child with her, we’re along for the ride, and the hunt begins. But how many bodies will be left behind in pursuit of safety?

A majority of this book is about familial relationships. In particular that of parents, and more specifically, fathers. We see that Jess has her own complicated relationship with her dad as she doesn’t know really much about him. He left her mother and her years ago, so news of his passing brings about feelings unknown and deeply buried. There’s a sense of grief for the man that she never got to know. Then there’s a frustration with a man that left their lives so abruptly. I thought of Jess’s relationship and grieving of her father as the catalyst for her choosing to save the boy. Initially seeing how afraid Kiddo reacts to this monster, Jess becomes the protective force that I think her inner child somewhat craved. Even more so after she learns that this wolf man creature is Kiddo’s father. Now she can be the one to run away and protect Kiddo in doing so. It’s on this brutal and grisly escape where they learn a lot about themselves and each other. Cassidy use these characters vividly to depict how fear and anxiety shape and shift in an all consuming ways. Not solely in our minds, but taking form in our real experiences and surroundings. As readers we take this in first hand and explore how both Jess and Kiddo’s fears, beliefs, and goals constantly change throughout the story.

There’s a lot for readers to chew on with this book. Something tells me most will enjoy the danger, horror, bonds made, and overall excitement with being on the run. We are not only thrown into Jess and Kiddo’s journey, but also the pursuit and perspective of those coming after them. Yet, Cassidy tenderly shows us that the star of the show is Jess and Kiddo’s friendship. It was clear he paid close attention and care to handling the interactions between Jess and Kiddo that really established a strong level of connection between not only those two characters, but inclusive of the reader. Page after page, I genuinely found myself really caring what happened to these two. I sat wondering, along with Jess, if she was making the right decisions as it appeared she was struggling to realize, or accept, what her actual desired outcome of all this was.

Now, I know it probably feels like I’ve said so much, and also so little, in this review. Hopefully, just enough to encourage you to read it! This book, along with Cassidy’s other works, are the kinds of books I love talking about in person! I’m rarely able to FULLY encapsulate all of my thoughts and feelings into a review that won’t be excessively long or include massive spoilers. So this will fall under books I recommend you experience for yourself. I know some people will see themselves in Kiddo, while many others may see themselves in Jess. There may even be readers who relate to the men, monsters, and mysteries in this story. Those people, moments, and decisions in our lives that are catching up to us, never left us, and inspire us to change.

I personally loved Jess’s mom. Obviously there’s a large discussion here around the relationship between children and their fathers, but Jess’s mom is a character that’s so easy to visualize and feel. She’s charismatic and written in a way that a variety of people will recognize their own mom in. It’s in the way her and Jess bicker, her acts of protection, her acceptance, and her ability to see and love Jess fully for who she is.

Clearly, I really liked this book and now you’re asking— But why 4.5/5 stars? The ending. While I completely understand the choices made, it just didn’t feel complete for me. I can admit it perfectly leads into the afterwards and brings so much of the story full circle. I just wanted a little bit more there, but that could also be me just being greedy. Overall, I would recommend this read and can’t wait to have more people to talk about this book with.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC. It didn’t disappoint.

I was approved for an advanced audiobook copy.

I’ve never read from Nat Cassidy before. But I will definitely in the future and am looking forward to reading his backlist.

The audiobook was excellent. I really enjoyed the final words from Nat Cassidy.
I finished this in two days. I couldn’t put it down.

With 3 certified bangers in a row, Nat Cassidy is one of my favorite horror authors and this book is a must read. When the Wolf Comes Home is complex, breakneck paced, and full of surprises. Cassidy’s writing style hooks you with relatable and realistic protagonists- I laughed and cringed in equal measure. THANK YOU to Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my review of When the Wolf Comes Home, which is available now! This is one of my top reads of the year so far- go read this now so we can talk about it!

This was my second read from Nat Cassidy after being pleasantly surprised by Nestlings. I was a little nervous at the beginning - this book started with a lot of action and gore, which isn’t really my thing. As the story went on and we learned more about the situation, though, I started to really enjoy the plot. One of the big themes was the power of fear, and the way it manifested was very interesting. I really appreciated the author’s note at the end. I will say - check trigger warnings. The narrator of the audiobook did a great job.