5 stars

Readers who enjoy fairy tales, fairy tale theory, and horror as a glorious mashup will be in absolute bliss while engaging with this newest effort from Nat Cassidy. I expected to enjoy this but ended up LOVING it.

Jess is in her 20s and having a lot of age-specific drama connected to familial relationships, her own identity, and her future. When a young boy - a truly unusual one at that - seems to fall into her sphere, she can't help but wonder not only what's up with him but also what's up with herself. What ensues is absolutely wild and incredily engaging from the perspectives of horror, lore, and characterization.

The narration of the audiobook makes this narrative even more powerful, so I highly recommend this modality when and where accessible.

I enjoyed this so much that I'm planning to dip back into Cassidy's past works next.

A woman finds a five year old boy in the bushes outside her apartment, leading the two of them on the run from what at first appears to be an abusive father but is actually so much more. What makes a monster? How much room should we allow fear in our lives? This is the wearwolf book I never knew I needed! It’s classic horror, it’s funny, it’s deeply moving and emotionally intelligent. I’m honestly stunned by how good this was.

“Love is a shapeshifting monster.”

Wow did this book take me on a wild ride and I loved it! This was my first book by Nat Cassidy and now I must read his backlist. I really enjoyed his storytelling in this book. I loved how he weaved the horror with the supernatural with small nods to classic fairy tales. It was a very immersive story. I enjoyed our characters in this book and honestly when a few characters got killed I have to say it had me tearing up. I thought I was going to find Jessa annoying, she’s your typical failing actress working a dead end job, miserable 30 something year old, but she really grew on me. Her character really evolved in this story and she got braver and braver as the story unfolded. I enjoyed “kiddo” in the story, he was a very complex five year old and quite frankly terrifying. Some of the scenes in this book were so terrifying, but so gripping. I couldn’t stop listening. I needed to hear how this story ended.

I loved the narrator of this book, she did a fantastic job with the various characters in this book and really put her all into this story making it a very enjoyable read. I also liked hearing from Nat Cassidy at the end and how his own dad was the inspiration for this story.

Overall this book was really fantastic. I haven’t read anything like this and I think that’s what I enjoyed the most. This is an original story written very well. Add this to your 2025 horror reads!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to like this one but I felt kind of duped by the synopsis. No spoilers but it was not what I was expecting.

"When the Wolf Comes Home" is an absolute whirlwind of a read! Nat Cassidy masterfully crafts a gripping narrative that starts in one place and evolves into something entirely unexpected by Part Two. His writing is immersive, drawing readers in with an effortless flow that makes it impossible to put the book down.

I especially loved the homage to the classic Twilight Zone episode "It's a Good Life", a personal favorite of mine, which adds an extra layer of eerie nostalgia to the story. Cassidy’s ability to write a believable and compelling female protagonist is truly impressive (as he shows time and time again), making the psychological depth of the novel even more engrossing.

I did listen to the audio book version and I have to say that this narrator belongs in a hall of fame. Her voice acting is second to none!

This book is packed with classic horror tropes, but rather than feeling overdone, they’re expertly woven into a chilling cosmic horror experience. If you love smart, unsettling horror that keeps you on your toes, this is a must read!

My thanks to NetGalley, Nat Cassidy, and Macmillan Audio for the Audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan audio for an early listening copy of this amazing novel.

Can you say daddy issues? Both main characters have them! This was the perfect chase style thriller/horror novel mixed with total 80's vibe monster movie feel. It was an interesting take on how fear can take control of your life.

I listened to this in one sitting on 2x speed and loved every minute of it.

I don't know how I missed that this was a horror thriller. It wasn't written in the description, unfortunately horror just doesn't do it for me. I tried but I am not getting into it at all. I couldn't continue and had to DNF.

This has been a highly anticipated read for me and it lived up to that hype!! I it kept me so hooked that I couldn’t stop listening to the audiobook until the moment I finished it. An excellent read for fans of classic horror!

When The Wolf Comes Home
Nat Cassidy
Publication Date: April 22

5 / 5

This book hits on so many things, (identity, acceptance, ancestral trauma) but most of all it's amazing.
A woman and a boy are on the run from his "daddy" who changes when he's angry.
But this is no ordinary little boy either.

Nat Cassidy writes flawed characters so perfectly. I enjoyed every moment I spent running with these characters.

This book hit the ground running, then shifts and shifts again, disorienting you and making you dizzy with enjoyment.

This book is adventurous. This book is scary. This book is funny.

I've loved both 'Mary' and 'The Nestlings', but When The Wolf Comes Home is by far my favorite.

I can't wait to hear everyone else's thoughts on this fantastic book that's so much more than a werewolf story. There's darkness. There's light. There's horror. And, importantly, there's hope.

I loved it.
Highly Recommend
5 stars

I can say confidently that Nat Cassidy’s When the Wolf Comes Home is one of the best horror books of the year. This is a fast paced, thrilling, and imaginative story that will hit you in the feels. It is best to go in blind, but be prepared for a ride with a very poignant ending.

This was a fantastic audiobook, narrated beautifully by Helen Laser (with a very impactful section by Nat himself and of course, his beautiful afterword).
Laser brought this story to full vibrant life. Her pacing and characterizations were spot on, with great production by @macmillan.audio. I strongly recommend this one!

3.5 rounded up. Audiobook version.

This is a very interesting, and heart wrenching, take on the big bad wolf. Through a horror lens, we examine the complicated relationships children have with their parents and the manifestations of those relationships.

We follow Jess, a young aspiring actress, as she finds herself on the run with a young child who has secrets of his own. The magical realism element was a welcome surprise, which kicked off around 31% in.

As with all of his books, Nat is excellent at bringing his characters to life and making you truly care about them, their motivations, and the things they experience.

The narrarator did a wonderful job bringing Jess and the boy to life.

I can't quite put my finger on it, but this one just doesn't reach 5 stars for me. I think this will very easily find its audience of fans and is a good additional to Nat Cassidy's publication list.

This is my second Nat Cassidy book, and after loving Nestlings, I knew I’d be in good hands going into this one. It absolutely did not disappoint.

As always, Nat brought the classic horror element but also gave us so much depth in this book with the deeper themes of parenthood-especially fatherhood and fear. This really is a story about fear itself in all of its forms. He crafted such a clever and thoughtful story utilizing fear as our horror theme here in both metaphorical and literal uses within this book that I just know I’ll be thinking about it long after finishing. I enjoyed the high stakes, chase-style plot, along with the character development. Several moments, I found myself taken aback with visceral fear from what was developing on the page and that’s such a testament to his writing. I honestly have no notes, this book was utter perfection.

The audiobook was narrated by one of my very favorites, Helen Laser, and as always she did an incredible job with her voice work and with bringing these characters to life. I also looked forward to the author’s afterward, as it’s always insightful and adds an even more meaningful layer to the story upon finishing. Thank you so much to Tor and NetGalley for this early copy.

Cassidy is a well known name on my personal bookshelf. His supernatural, psychological, dystopian short stories are all such a treat, and now I can add creature feature to the list. This is also my first time experiencing one of his books in audiobook form and it did not disappoint. Helen Laser does a wonderfully immersive job of pulling you into the story with some surprise narration from Cassidy himself and when the 2 read in tandem...its just finesse.

Jump into the disappointing world of Jess, a 30 something failing actress with a stranger for a roommate, working shitty restaurant jobs after getting blacklisted by a sex driven manager now cleaning gross bathrooms only to get stabbed by a dirty needle. She goes home in a panic induced state only to stumble across a lost 5yo in her backyard who turns her world upside-down. The bloody scenes Tarentino would be proud of, stack sky high from here.

This fast paced monster filled novel takes on a journey dictated through the eyes of a very frightened child. The only thing Jess can do is try her all to keep him away from the one person he fears most...his father. Dad isn't just some ordinary scary dad, but something that most are terrified being under the bed after they read the novel children's tales of the big bad wolf. No mater what she does, things just keep getting worse and people end up dead. Part way through, Jess discovers a very dark secret that perhaps she can use to save the kid and hopefully herself from the monster in tow. Little does she know daddy isn't the only one causing bodies to drop. The ending is a sucker punch in a daring way. Hat off to Cassidy for that curve ball.

Nat Cassidy spends some time with his afterward discussing his purpose for the story and his personal relationship with his father. There is so much important content in this that the story flew through my head again and all carefully crafted character elements and the pivotal story points made all the more sense. All of his stories have a raw element to them and that's him drawing from his personal storyline for us readers to get that even deeper connection. I'm thankful for all things this brilliant mind writes and look forward to the next creation.

I truly, truly love Nat Cassidy. I've adored every single one of his books, so I was pumped to see When the Wolf Comes Home available here. I'm happy to say, I was not disappointed. It is an absolute masterclass in horror and suspense; I can’t recommend it enough.

From the moment struggling actress Jess finds the five-year-old runaway outside her apartment, you're hooked, desperate to figure out just what the hell is going on. What seems like a simple (but terrifying) rescue from an abusive father turns into a nightmarish struggle for survival as they’re chased by the boy’s violent, unhinged father, who may or may not even be human anymore. But trust me, this is just the beginning of a much darker, more complex story. One that is unhinged in the best way possible.

Cassidy’s writing is top-notch, as usual. As the story unfolds, it takes a supernatural turn that was insane yet so well-written that it was completely believable. The way Cassidy layers tension, terror, and mystery is brilliant. I think I devoured this entire audiobook in a day.

What really makes this book stand out is how well-developed the characters are. Jess is relatable and complex— her survival instincts are razor-sharp, and you can’t help but root for her as she faces unimaginable horrors. The relationship she forms with the boy, and the bond that grows between them, adds so much emotional weight to the story amidst the chaos and bloodshed. And the supernatural elements are done so well, ar so eerie and unpredictable that my jaw was on the floor many times. I never knew what to expect next, and every twist was both terrifying and exhilarating.

This book is everything I love about horror—it’s intense, beautifully written, and terrifying as hell. An easy 5-star read for me, and if your taste is anything like mine, you need to pick this one up asap. It’s easily one of the best and most creative horror novels I’ve read in a long time. Phenomenal.

Nat Cassidy has become an auto buy author for me and if you asked me today who my favourite horror author is I might have to say it is him. He never misses! I think he just gets it and that is clear in his afterwards.
I don't normally love horror centered around children but this was unique and chilling. I could not stop listening and felt the tension the entire time. I was so invested in the characters and the outcome. Sat with it for days afterward before I was able to read something else.

Book Review: When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy

A charismatic and emotionally complicated waitress finds a tramarized young boy outside her home. Chaos explodes, and Suddenly they are are the run from the law, foundational fears, the past, and the boy's father... a werewolf...or is he?....

The novel is crazy. And good.

There’s something deeply unsettling about When the Wolf Comes Home. It creeps under your skin, burrows in, and stays there. Nat Cassidy has crafted a novel that’s part psychological horror, part supernatural thriller, and part sci-fi nightmare—familiar yet entirely its own beast.

Drawing from The Twilight Zone’s It’s a Good Life (both the TV and Movie version) as well as Charlie X from Star Trek, Cassidy taps into the terror of unchecked power. This trip moves with the breakneck pace of Dean Koontz’s Velocity or Intensity, balancing action with eerie, slow-burning dread. The prose is sharp, the storytelling relentless, and the narration fantastic. The themes of fatherhood, failure, and fear both live on the surface and ferment between the lines no matter the focus of page or the perspective of the person we're following.

Yes, you’ll hear echoes of Stephen King, Frank Herbert, DC Fontana, and especially Jerome Bixby via Richard Matheson. But Cassidy isn’t copying; he’s channeling, reshaping, and making it his own. It’s a love letter to genre-bending horror, a reminder that stories don’t have to fit in neat little boxes. The only misstep? A bloated, meandering ending that loses momentum. But by then, the wolf has already sunk its teeth in.

I give it a B+.
If you're in the mood for tense absurd terror, touching emotional trauma, and a box of good and plenty, you'd dig this puppy.

This one had a bit of a turn that threw me out if it - I was ready for a rip and tear wolf story and then it took a hard left. I don’t know if it was even a bad turn, it just didn’t go where I wanted or thought I wanted.

Not my favorites of Nat’s but I am still a big fan. The story was written well with the trademark Cassidy style and wit. While this was not my favorite, I will read whatever Nat puts out there and I am sure that plenty of people will dig this one.

“No one will be safe when the wolf comes home”.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audiobook. The honest review is all my own.

2.5 - 3 Stars

This was a fast-paced, well written, character study of fear. What a wild ride this book was! I really loved the main characters and following their journey as they run away from the things that scare them. Nat Cassidy is a truly unique writer and I’ll read anything he writes. Highly recommend this work for all horror lovers!

The audiobook narrator was particularly great - highly recommend via audio. The author makes cameos as well!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Oh My, Oh My! This book was an absolute banger. From the very first page, it grabs you by the throat and does not let go. It’s one of those stories where you think you know what’s happening—runaway kid, terrifying dad, desperate actress caught in the middle—but ohhh no. The layers just keep peeling back, and what’s underneath? Nightmare fuel. And I loved every second of it.

It’s giving high-speed horror thriller with a side of “what the hell did I just read?” in the best way. The action is relentless, the scares are gnarly, and the emotional punches? Whew. Devastating. It’s about fear—how it shapes us, how it twists us, how we fight against it (or don’t). Jess is such a fantastic protagonist, equal parts scrappy and deeply flawed, and her dynamic with the kid?? So well done. Plus, the atmosphere. Every scene is dripping with tension, and the horror elements are chef’s kiss unsettling.

This is my fave kind of horror—fast, brutal, a little weird, and packed with heart. If you love chase thrillers with a supernatural edge, trust me, you need this in your life.

Huge thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

It pains be to say this just wasn’t for me. I suppose it’s my fault for not looking into this synopsis more, but the storyline was just too silly for me to enjoy. I was expecting more of a domestic horror, but this was supernatural and very over the top. I’m all for the gore but prefer to read stories that are more realistic.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book. The narrator was fantastic, I just didn’t enjoy the story itself.